Unreal Life
by cmar
Summary: PRTF: The Purple Man is back, and he's made some new friends. Wes and Jen must escape a world of nightmares as they struggle to defeat him. Part 8 'Time' Series. Complete.
1. Promises

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

**A/N:** This story and 'Connections' take place at the same time, and I am posting them at the same time. They are separate but related stories, and can be read together or separately. 

This takes place in my mild AU of Time Force. In my stories, Wes and Jen said they loved each other before the scene on the beach, and Jen did not break up with Alex until after she returned to the future. 

This is a sequel to 'The Time Tunnel', and takes place after the events of 'Time Over' and 'Sins of the Fathers'. You don't have to have read those, but it might help. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Promises

* * *

"That's the one I like." 

"Doesn't look like an engagement ring somehow." 

"Wes, they don't all look alike." Jen Scotts laughed at him as he made a face. She turned back to admire the ring through the glass of the jewelry store case. It was perfect. Not too big, not too small. Not too fancy, but beautiful. 

"It's kind of plain, and small, isn't it?" Wes Collins asked. 

"No. I don't want a big, flashy ring. This is exactly what I had in mind." 

"I can afford something bigger." 

"I know. That's not the point. I like this ring." A minute later the salesman had been summoned and was watching her try it on. She held out her hand, letting the light sparkle from the facets. "There's something about a diamond," she said. "I love them. People say they're cold, but I think they're... full of life." 

"How come it doesn't look like those others?" 

"This is an emerald cut," the salesman supplied. "The brilliant cut is the most popular. But many people prefer the emerald. It's very elegant." 

"That's right, Wes. Don't you want me to be elegant?" Jen smiled again as he grinned at her. 

"Is this really the one you want?" 

"Yes, yes, yes!" 

"It _is_ pretty. And elegant." 

In another twenty minutes they were standing on the sidewalk in front of the store, the newly resized ring in Wes's hand. He took Jen's hand and slid it on her finger. "Not the most romantic place, I guess. But…" 

"But I can't wait. It's beautiful. Thank you, Wes." 

"Anything for my Jen." 

He smiled and pulled her close, gently kissing her, then hugging her tight as she leaned against him, hardly noticing the people who glanced at them, some disapproving, some smiling. For a moment she simply lost herself in the warm solidity of his body and the strength of his arms. 

They started for his car, his arm circling her shoulders. Jen sighed with pure contentment. They might not be able to agree on a date, or on where to live, or on a dozen other things, but at least she had the ring now. She was surprised at how much it meant to her. Suddenly, their engagement seemed more real, it seemed like they were really going to be married soon. She smiled. 

* * *

"I'm starting to think you like that ring more than me." 

Jen looked up at Wes's smiling face and laughed. "I can't stop looking at it." 

"Well, better look at your menu. We both have to get back to work." 

"Okay." She barely had enough time to decide before the waiter was standing over them. She ordered a tuna salad; he got a hamburger with fries. She gave Wes a disapproving glance but waited until they were alone again. 

"You really should eat healthier, Wes. All that fat. No vegetables." 

"Potatoes are vegetables." 

"There's more grease in fries than potato. In my time we don't eat like this." 

"What do you eat, squidburgers with a side of seaweed?" He shuddered. 

"Well, seaweed _is_ popular..." She laughed at his expression. 

"Besides, I thought _this_ is your time now." 

"I know. It is." She watched him butter a piece of bread. This _was_ her time now, and it was largely because of Wes. Maybe all because of him. She had come to 2001 on a mission, and stayed long enough for them to fall in love, then over a year later she had again left her own time of 2202 to be with him, to save him when he was in danger. 

"Have I said lately how happy I am that you were able to stay?" Wes reached across the table to clasp her hand. 

"Not lately. But it's okay." She made a face at him. 

He grinned. "Would you really have gone back if Time Force hadn't let you stay?" 

She answered seriously. "If all those shifts in history hadn't absorbed me into this time? If I would have endangered the timeline by staying? I would have had to go back. Just like I had to the first time." 

He leaned closer, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. "You wouldn't have stayed anyway? For me?" 

"I had no choice, Wes." There might have been a trace of disappointment in his face. Suddenly uncomfortable, Jen frowned. "To tell the truth, I was tempted, most of all the first time, back in 2001. Very tempted. To break all the rules, just go after what I wanted, no matter what the consequences... But that's exactly the kind of thing I'm sworn to prevent, as a Time Force officer. It would have made me no better than Ransik or any other criminal like him." 

The memory came back, the torment she had gone through, the night before she and her teammates had left. How impossible it had seemed to leave Wes, how she had dreaded having to face Alex, and tell him she was breaking their engagement. She had come close, very close, to deciding the other way. Closer than she wanted to admit, even to herself. 

"Ever wonder what would have happened if you had gone the other way? If you had stayed then?" 

She shrugged. "I can imagine. We would have had to run away. Time Force would have tracked us down eventually, and I'd be locked up in a temporal prison with Ransik right now." 

"_That_ doesn't sound very tempting." 

"Even if I could have gotten away with it, I would never have risked damaging the timeline." 

"Yeah, you were always the responsible one." 

"So are you. You're very responsible." 

"Well..." He chuckled. "You wouldn't have said that when we first met. You thought I was just a spoiled brat who didn't care about anything but having a good time." 

"I never thought that." 

"I believe your exact words were, 'You've never had to fight for anything in your life.'" 

"Um." Embarrassed, she smiled ruefully. "I changed my mind pretty quickly." Jen studied his face. It struck her again how much he had changed from the spoiled, lazy, rich young man she had met about two and a half years ago. He had done a lot of growing up, had taken on a lot of responsibility. He had always been good-natured and generous, always been protective of others, but now he had a strength and maturity that had been lacking before. 

"What?" He was watching her, a smile playing around his mouth. 

"Just thinking. Sometimes you don't seem like the same Wes Collins I met when I came to this time. You've gotten a lot more serious." 

"Thanks. But I hope that doesn't translate to 'boring'." 

"Not at all. You've become a better person." 

"It had a lot to do with you." He held her eyes for a long, warming moment. 

"Do you really think so?" She smiled, unexpectedly touched and gratified. 

"I know it." He paused, looking thoughtful. "I hate to think of what I'd be like now, if you hadn't accepted me as a Ranger. If I hadn't spent that year with you, and Trip, Lucas, and Katie. Learning how to fight, how to work hard for a good cause, how to be part of a team." 

"Oh, come on. You weren't that bad before." 

"Just irresponsible. No drive, no ambition. Dad used to say that, when he got mad at me. Which was pretty often." Wes frowned. "It's taken him a long time to think I've grown up. But he's started to trust me with more of the company business." 

"Not to mention command of the Silver Guardians." 

"Yeah, well, he's got Eric to keep an eye on me. Make sure I don't screw up." 

"Wes..." 

"Kidding." He let go of her hand and they both leaned back as the waiter set their food down. Wes looked his burger and fries over and gave her an expression of exaggerated guilt, provoking a giggle. 

"Just wait till we're married," she murmured. "No more burgers. Just tofu and raw veggies." 

"Oh, God." He rolled his eyes. 

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Jen found her mind returning to other concerns, the problem that had occupied much of their time lately. Norman Ryder. She frowned at the thought. 

"Anything wrong?" Wes asked. 

"That robbery the other night. Are you really sure it was Norman?" 

"Yeah." His face reflected her own feelings. "The night watchman at our warehouse saw a man with silvery hair and strange-looking skin. Just a glimpse, before he was knocked out, but who else could it be?" 

"I was starting to hope he wouldn't show up again. Does Eric know?" 

"Of course. And Gaby." 

Until two days ago there had been no sign of Norman since he had disappeared in the fire that had destroyed the factory where he had built his own version of the cyclobots. They had spent a lot of time searching, done a lot of worrying and waiting. And now the wait might be over. 

* * *

"Again." 

Eric Myers frowned at his sparring partner, noting the beads of sweat on her face, the flush of heat in her cheeks, and her grimly determined expression. "We've been at this for two hours. You're tired." 

"No. I want to keep going." Gabriella Butler moved into a defensive position again, her hands coming up, the way he had taught her. "_You're_ not tired, are you?" 

"Look, you can't become a martial arts expert overnight. Give it time." 

"I may not _have_ time." 

He straightened, sighed, and moved back a step. "Face it; you're not going to be able to defend yourself against Norman anyway. He's a mutant now, stronger than a normal man. I don't know if _I_ could beat him, without the Ranger suit." 

"And _I'm_ just a woman. So I wouldn't stand a chance." There was anger in her voice. 

"You're a woman who's been taking a few martial arts lessons off and on for a few months. Damn right, you wouldn't stand a chance." 

"Just one more throw." 

"Gaby..." 

She moved forward, springing at him almost quickly enough to catch him off guard. A kick jabbed at his hip; when he slid aside, a hand thrust at his face. He caught her arm, pulled, tripped her over his leg and held on, easing her fall to the practice mat in the Silver Guardians' workout room they were using. Dropping on top of her, he pinned her wrists and smiled down at her frustrated, angry face. 

"Don't laugh at me!" she cried, struggling in vain. 

"I'm not laughing." Realizing the smile was a mistake, he blanked his face. "This isn't the answer, Gaby. You can't fight him yourself." 

"So I have to depend on a big, strong man to protect me?" The bitterness in her voice shook him. So did the way her face crumpled, tears squeezing out as her eyes closed. 

"Gaby, don't... I'm sorry." He let go of her wrists and did the only thing he could think of, kissed her gently, then raised his head to watch her, bringing a hand up to wipe away her tears with his thumb. 

"Not your fault," she choked. "I just hate this. Hate being scared all the time. Feeling helpless. Hate having to depend on someone else. Even when it's you." Her face was calmer as she looked up into his eyes. "I've always been proud of taking care of myself. Ever since I got out of college. Haven't needed anyone. And now..." 

"Now a silver and purple mutant nutcase wants to make you his bride of Frankenstein..." 

She smiled, even laughed for a breath. He grinned in relief. "Anyway," she said after a moment, "maybe he's lost interest in me. Supercriminals tend to be fickle." 

"Let's hope so." But Eric's smile faded. Even if he no longer desired Gaby, Norman would probably be out for revenge. Against both of them. 

* * *

Wes negotiated the downtown lunchtime traffic and soon was pulling over in front of the main Silver Hills Police Department stationhouse, where Jen worked as a detective. He turned off the ignition and turned in the seat, leaning over to her. She met him halfway, and they exchanged a kiss that grew passionate, Wes reaching to stroke her hair and cheek. 

"Can't you play hooky? Just for once?" he asked. "We could go back to the house. Celebrate." 

"Being irresponsible again, huh? I _wish_…" She moved closer and kissed his ear, slipping her fingers inside his Silver Guardian jacket, between the buttons. He kissed her again, their tongues lightly touching, a hand gliding over her arm and down to her waist. She shivered and smiled. "But you know I have to get back to work. I haven't been in the PD long enough to get away with just taking off." 

"And I have to get back, too. Board meeting, paperwork to catch up on, and a couple of cases to check out." 

"Still trying to take the load off Eric?" 

His face became serious. "Yeah. He's got a lot on his mind, with Gaby and everything." 

"And you don't?" She leaned over to kiss him quickly again, and then smiled. "Try to stay awake in that board meeting." 

"Thanks. I think. See you soon." He grinned, arms still around her, his tongue darting out to lick the tip of her nose. She shivered at the startlingly erotic sensation, and grinned back. He let go, reached for her hand, squeezing it briefly, then started his car again as she slid out and closed the door. 

Jen ran across the street, then turned to watch him pull out and drive off. Her mind was already returning to Norman, what he was after, what he was likely to do next, how they could stop him. But she found another moment to smile at the way her ring flashed in the sun. 

* * *

It was silent, and dark, cold and gloomy. But he hardly noticed anymore. Norman looked upon his creations, and found them good. He smiled. They were beautiful. Strong. And smart. Worthy of him, worthy of serving him. He watched them, as they worked, moving around the large room, cut out of rock and earth, deep under the surface, safe from prying Rangers. 

They would be more help than the cyclobots had been. With them, he would defeat the red and pink Rangers, and most of all the Quantum Ranger, and recapture the woman he wanted. This time, he'd make her see that they were meant to be together. Gaby would forget all about Eric. She'd fall in love with him. Sooner or later. She'd have no choice. 

And there would be more. Revenge against Bio-Lab, the company that had ignored his abilities. Power. Respect. The whole city would fear him. He could have anything he wanted, and no one could stop him. Not this time. He had his new helpers. His soldiers. And another weapon, too. Something even more dangerous. A weapon they wouldn't be expecting, and had no defense against. A weapon that did not damage the body, but did something even more destructive. The time was coming. Soon. 

* * *

TBC... 


	2. Metal

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

**A/N:** This story and 'Connections' take place at the same time, and I am posting them at the same time. They are separate but related stories, and can be read together or separately. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Metal

* * *

It had been a long day. Eric pulled into the driveway of his house with an inner sigh of relief. He smiled briefly at Gaby as he switched off the ignition, feeling the engine shudder as it stopped. 

"Time for a new car," Gaby said absently. She popped her seat belt off and pushed her door open. 

"This one still runs." 

"Still, it's so old. Why not get a better one? You can afford it." 

He got out, looking up at the twilit sky, a hint of rosy color in the distance, the moon low and almost full, before glancing at her over the car roof. "You sound like Wes. I don't need a new car." 

She smiled, shook her head, and murmured, "Stubborn..." 

Eric ignored that and circled the car to join her. Together, they headed for the front door. He noticed another automobile out of the corner of his eye, coming down the street, slowing and pulling over. It wasn't familiar, didn't belong to any of his neighbors. With the instincts of a soldier -- and a Silver Guardian -- he was aware of it with a part of his mind as they went up the walkway. 

"I'll bet there's no food in your house. I knew we should have gone shopping," she said. 

"We can order in pizza or Chinese." 

"I'm so tired of both of them." 

"We could go out later, I guess." 

"Unless you feel like starving. But I'll miss _Enterprise_. I wish you had a VCR." 

"Nag, nag, nag," he grumbled, feeling in his pocket for his keys. 

She turned to face him. "Why don't you go for takeout? I'll stay here." 

"You know I can't leave you alone." 

She sighed. "I know," she said, leaning against the wall with an attitude of depression. He saw her look past him, to the street. Saw her face stiffen with alarm, saw her eyes widen. 

Without conscious thought, he pushed her down, dropping to crouch in front of her, a glance toward the street showing him a man, probably from that unfamiliar car, standing at the end of his walkway, his hair glimmering silver in the evening light, his hand rising, a glint of metal -- 

"Look out!" Eric shouted, ducking. A beam of energy shot at them, hitting the door above them, sending explosive sparks flying, the noise blending with Gaby's scream. His hands came up, not to shield himself, but to bring the morpher close to his face, and he was shouting... 

"Quantum Power!" The light flashed over him, sparkling, sending a rush of energy and power through him, giving him that one moment when he felt invincible, untouchable, when nothing could stop him. As it faded he pushed up to one knee, his clothes replaced by the red and black Quantum Ranger suit, already pulling his blaster, the Quantum Defender, from its holster. 

Another instant saw his return beam strike its target. The man threw up an arm to cover his head, and staggered back. But he didn't fall. He lowered his arm again and grinned at them. And took a step forward. 

"Give it up, Norman!" Eric shouted. "You're not getting her!" 

"I'll do what I want, you can't stop me. And you can call me Mutant Master now." 

Eric laughed, despite the danger he knew they were in. "Mutant Master? You can't even come up with a good name, _Norman_." 

"You'll never laugh at me again!" Norman stepped forward, stiff with anger. 

Eric got to his feet, put out a hand, and pulled Gaby to her feet. "Get into the house," he hissed. "Lock the door." 

"Eric..." She looked at him, eyes wide and round. 

"It's okay. Just go." He opened the door, pushed her through, and turned back to the enemy. 

"No cyclobots this time, Norman?" Eric asked, his voice mocking. "Going to do your own fighting?" 

"I've gone beyond cyclobots. Way beyond." Eric could see a glint of white teeth and the flash of silvery eyes as he smiled. He beckoned. Two forms detached themselves from the shadows and stepped close to him, to stand on either side. "These aren't the kind of robots you've come up against before," Norman continued. 

Eric looked more closely as the two figures moved into the light. His eyes widened. They were robots -- but certainly like nothing he had seen before. They were both wearing clothing, form-fitting silvery-gray suits that left their arms bare. They seemed almost human, with cold, hard-looking faces instead of the round helmets of the cyclobots. But their skins were gleaming metallic surfaces, one silver, one a pale purple. With an inner shiver, Eric recognized those artificial faces. They were both Norman. His face, in metal, on a robotic body. 

"Creating them in your own image now?" Eric asked. 

"That's right. Not only physically, either." Norman glanced at his companions and smiled again. "Go on and introduce yourselves." 

"My name is Silver," the first one said, in a voice identical to Norman's. 

"And I'm Purple," the other one added in the same voice. 

Eric gasped, unable to hide his shock. "They can _talk_?" he exclaimed. 

"They can talk, they can think, they can fight. Allow me to demonstrate." Norman grinned at him again, a twisted expression of hatred. "Get him, boys," he said softly. 

The two robots started forward slowly, the streetlights glimmering off their metal skins, outlining them in shimmers of silver and violet. Eric had the absent thought that they were really quite beautiful. And almost certainly quite deadly. He raised his blaster. 

"Just hold it right there." 

They stopped, but only for a moment. Then they separated, moving toward either side, swiftly slipping into the shadows under the trees around his house. They moved with quicksilver speed, coming at him, leaping onto the sides of his porch before he could react. He let Ranger-enhanced reflexes take over and fired, hitting Silver at close range, ducking under Purple's fist and ramming him in the middle with a shoulder. 

The next moment Eric was staggering back, reaching for his shoulder with the other hand. That impact with hard metal had _hurt_… the purple robot landed on his back, but was already rolling to his feet. A glance at Silver stunned him, the metal man was _smiling_ at him, apparently unhurt by the blast that had hit him. 

"You can't stop us that easily," he said softly. 

Eric raised the Defender's power and fired again, hitting Purple point-blank as he charged forward, and having the satisfaction of seeing him double over and lurch back, his face contorting in what looked like pain. Another instant and he had whipped the weapon around, but Silver was already on him, grabbing his wrist with superhuman strength, hard enough to make him gasp. They struggled for a few seconds, until Eric kicked out, driving the robot back, then twisted his arm free and leaped into a tornado kick that hit his opponent's head. 

It was only a momentary victory, as he landed purple arms encircled his waist, lifting him and tightening until he felt his ribs creak. Eric jerked his head back, smashing his helmet into the robot's face, then aimed the Defender back over his own shoulder and fired. He tumbled to the porch, free but shaken and weakened. The realization struck him that he was in a serious fight. One he wasn't going to win on his own. 

But there was no time to call for help… he tried to shield himself as Silver dived down on him, grabbing his wrist again, twisting it painfully and this time yanking the Defender out of his grip. As he tried to get up, he saw it in the robot's hand, aiming at him, then the flash as it fired, hitting him with a wave of electric pain, his muscles contracting as it burned through him. 

The silver robot stepped closer, aiming directly at his head. Eric pushed up onto his elbows, the blaster right in his face. The Defender was set to full power. He knew at such close range, the blast would injure him, perhaps kill him, even with the suit. It would certainly demorph him, and leave him helpless and vulnerable. 

Just for an instant, Silver seemed to hesitate. And it was enough time for Eric to act. He pulled a knee up and kicked out, hitting the robot's elbow and knocking the blaster from his hand. Purple dived for it, Eric grabbed at it, and they wrestled, ending when Eric twisted around to kick the robot in the chest, and yanked his blaster free. 

He rolled up to his knees, saw a flash from the corner of his eye, too late to dodge as Norman's blaster beam struck him. This time it was too much for his suit, he saw the warping sparkle and felt the current of shock as he demorphed painfully, and slid back onto the porch deck. 

"Kill him!" Norman's voice rang from the street. 

The two robots moved forward. "Sorry," Purple said, kneeling, putting out a hand, his fingers closing around Eric's throat. "Nothing personal..." They tightened, as Eric stared up into that gleaming face, seeing no emotion, no mercy there. 

He managed to raise his hands and grab the metal wrist, and gasped, "Don't..." 

Again, there was that hesitation, as the grip around his neck loosened. Then there was another flash. All of them looked up and the two robots ducked as a beam shot over Eric, the air glowing red as it was superheated by the energies flowing through it. It struck the door and then washed over the wall, leaving a trail of growing flames behind. Purple let go, and he and Silver stood up and took a step back. They both looked at Eric, then exchanged an eerily human glance, before turning to run down the walkway to rejoin their master. 

Eric stared after them, dazed, and lifted his arm to his face, calling into his morpher. "Wes! Jen!" He could hear his voice trembling. "Help me!" 

"Eric?" Wes's voice answered, echoed a moment later by Jen's. "What's wrong? Where are you?" 

"My house! We need help!" More of his strength was returning. He dragged himself away from the fire. 

"He's alive!" Eric heard Norman's voice, and turned his head to see the mutant advancing up the walkway toward him, Silver and Purple at his back. "Get him! Do it right this time!" 

There was no time to deal with them, not with Gaby inside a burning house. Eric rolled to the edge of the porch, and off, landing on the grass. In another second he was slipping around the side of the building, under cover of shadows and smoke. He reached the back door and started to open it. A hand reached out to take his arm, startling him. He whirled, only to see Gaby, the cage holding his pet birds in her other hand. 

"What happened? Are you all right?" she exclaimed, her voice low. 

"Fine. You have to get out of here. I called Wes and Jen." 

"I called the Guardians." 

"Good." But it could be a problem, if Norman and his helpers attacked them… "Go on. Go to my neighbors. Ask them to hide you." 

"Aren't you coming?" They looked up as a small, one-person aircraft swept over them, swiftly descending in front of his house. 

"No. I have a fight to finish." 

"But…" 

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Go on." 

Quickly Eric rounded the corner, uncomfortably close to the fire spreading across the front wall of his home, to see a tense confrontation. Wes and Jen were out of their flyers, standing side by side, blasters in their hands. Norman, Silver, and Purple were standing in the street, Norman pointing his blaster, the two robots flanking him. It looked like nothing so much as an old-fashioned shootout. 

"Where's Eric?" Wes was demanding. 

"Probably frying inside that house," Norman sneered. 

"Wrong. I'm right here." Eric moved so they could see him, Wes and Jen glancing at him quickly and then back at their enemies. 

"Don't you ever die?" Norman yelled, raising his blaster. Twin beams from Wes and Jen struck him, sending him staggering back, his weapon falling to the street. As he looked up, face contorted with rage, they all could hear sirens in the distance. 

"Wes, come on!" Jen started forward, opening fire again, Wes right behind her. Eric knew they wanted to weaken their opponents as much as possible, reduce the chances of the Guardians being hurt in the fight coming up. He advanced a few steps, uncertainly, not sure he could do anything useful unmorphed and weaponless. A series of bursts from Wes and Jen drove Norman back, but Silver stepped forward and retrieved the fallen blaster. 

Then he was firing back, aiming at Jen. Wes stepped in front of her, taking the shot, with no time to recover before Purple ran forward and leaped at him. They tumbled to the grass, rolling as they struggled. Jen was in the air, jumping to hit Silver solidly in the chest with a kick. The robot staggered back. She pursued, a spin kick striking him in the arm, sending the blaster flying out of his hand. A quick backhanded blow kept the robot off-balance long enough for her to hook a foot behind his ankle and shove him down. She stepped back, aimed her blaster, and shot him as he started to get up. 

A glance showed Wes doing well also, he rolled onto one knee and side-kicked Purple viciously in the face, then brought up the blaster still in his hand and fired. The robot fell back, Wes pivoted, knocking him over with another hard kick, and flattened him with another blast. 

Jen was moving again, dashing swiftly toward Norman. She reached him and kicked out. But he was too fast; he fell back a few steps but then grabbed her, pinning her arms to her sides. She kicked at him again, and he snarled and twisted her arms behind her back. She wrenched free and punched at his face. He caught her arms again, pulling her against him, and she brought up a knee forcefully, sending him staggering back, doubled over. 

A line of black SUVs sped up the street and skidded to a stop, Guardians spilling out and taking up positions behind the shelter of their vehicles. More blasts sizzled through the air, driving Silver and Purple back to stand beside their master. Eric started forward again, only to feel a hand tug on his arm, and saw Gaby behind him. 

"Give up, Norman!" Wes shouted, stepping forward. 

"Let's get out of here!" Norman cried. The three of them turned and ran back to their car in a shower of blaster fire. Wes and Jen ran after them, then raced back to their flyers as the car started up and sped off. They lifted into the sky and quickly disappeared, as Norman's car vanished into the traffic of a larger street a few blocks away. 

* * *

"Silver and Purple? What were they?" Jen was pacing, her face harsh and worried. They were in a small common room in the Silver Guardians' barracks. It was several hours after the attack, late into the night. Wes returned his attention to Eric, who was looking both exhausted and on edge, and Gaby, who seemed understandably upset. She had hardly said a word since the fight, standing silently as they watched the firefighters work to save Eric's house, then quietly coming with them to Bio-Lab. 

"Norman's made some improvements on the cyclobots," Eric said. "They were -- almost human. But strong. One of them took a full-power blast from the Defender at close range and was only knocked down." 

"Damn," Jen muttered. 

"Too bad we couldn't catch them. They disappeared in traffic. We never got a good enough look at that car to be able to spot it," Wes added. 

"Yeah, too bad. Wish I could have helped." Eric paused, his face thoughtful. "I said they seemed almost human. Not just the way they looked. They could talk, too. And -- they seemed like they could think for themselves." He looked up at Wes and Jen. "Norman ordered Purple to kill me. He could have. Could have crushed my neck in an instant. But he let go." 

"Robots with a conscience?" 

"Maybe. But I don't think I'd count on it." 

Wes and Jen exchanged a glance. "Still, good to know," she said. "Maybe we can use it to our advantage." 

"Hope so." Eric glanced at Gaby. 

"Eric." Wes waited for Eric to look up. "I think we need to get Gaby somewhere safer." 

"I think so too," Jen said. "She was the target. Norman may get her next time." 

"You're right," Gaby said, startling him with the steadiness of her voice. "I'm the one he's after. If I'm gone, maybe he'll leave you alone." She took a deep breath. "I'll get out of town. Disappear. Wes, your father can help me get a new identity…" 

"Wait a minute," Eric said. "I'm not letting that freak chase you away like that. We can take care of him." 

She turned to him, her face suddenly filled with a mixture of anger and pain. "No! He almost killed you tonight, because of me! He could have killed Wes or Jen! Your house could have burned down!" 

"But he didn't kill anyone. And insurance will pay for the house. It wasn't that badly damaged." 

"That's not the point! I don't want anyone else hurt because of me!" 

"It's not your fault that jerk has a crush on you." 

"Maybe I should just let him have what he wants." 

"Are you crazy?" Eric was shouting now, his face flooding with anger. As Gaby flinched away from him, he lowered his voice. "Norman's always going to want something he can't have. Do you think you'd make him happy? That you'd reform him? Nothing's going to do that. The only thing that'll stop him is force." 

She had gone back to staring at the floor. "Well -- what did you have in mind, Wes?" 

"Eric, you've been talking about trying to find your biological father. Why don't you do it? Take Gaby with you. Don't tell anyone else where you're going, pay cash for everything. You'd be out of town, in a place where most people won't recognize you. Norman shouldn't be able to find you." 

"What? I've never run away from a fight in my life. I don't intend to leave you and Jen to fight them alone." 

"The two of us did okay against them tonight." 

"They did a pretty good job of kicking _my_ ass." Eric's voice was bitter. 

"It was three against one, and you're still recovering from your injuries. We can handle them." 

"I don't know..." 

"Look, you want Gaby to be safe, don't you? Then go with her. If anything happens, we'll call you with the morphers. Canela Beach isn't far, with your flyer, in an emergency, you can be back here in -- what? -- ten or fifteen minutes?" 

"Could be ten or fifteen minutes too long." 

Wes sat on the end of the sofa to look into Eric's face. "I know you want to stay and fight. But all of this has been hard on both of you. Jen and I can take care of ourselves. And we have the Guardians to back us up. Why not let us help you for once?" 

Eric looked at Gaby again. "What do you think?" 

"Whatever you say." That sad, defeated look was on her face again. 

"This is your choice too." He reached for her hand. "You're not going to just lie down and give up because of Norman, are you?" 

She looked up, a hint of the old sparkle in her eye. "Lie down for _him_? No way." She smiled and tightened her grip on Eric's hand. "Maybe it's a good idea. Maybe it could even be a little like a vacation." 

"Sure." He looked back up at Wes. "So that's it. We'll stay here in the barracks tonight and leave tomorrow." 

"Good. We'd better get going, it's late and we're all tired." He and Jen started out, hands reaching to each other. 

"Wes, Jen," Eric called after them. "Be sure to call me if anything happens." 

"We will, if we can't handle it on our own," Jen said with a look back. 

"But who knows? Maybe this time, _we_ won't need _your_ help," Wes added with a grin. 

* * *

TBC... 


	3. Lost

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

**A/N:** This story and 'Connections' take place at the same time, and I am posting them at the same time. They are separate but related stories, and can be read together or separately. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Lost

* * *

They had found the truck, abandoned at the side of the highway outside town, emptied, the driver and guard missing. Jen walked around the vehicle, trying to stay out of the crime scene investigators' way, making a mental estimate of how much cargo it had held. A Bio-Lab truck, carrying electronic components, according to the report the Silver Guardians had called in. No sign of a fight, no bullets. It had Norman written all over it. 

"Did you see the tire tracks?" Jimmy Duran, her partner in the SHPD, had come up to walk beside her. 

"Yes. He had his own truck. Transferred the stuff and took off." She turned to watch for a moment as a technician took a cast of the tracks. 

"Look who finally got here." 

Jen looked in the direction of the city to see a Silver Guardian SUV pull up. A familiar figure wearing a navy-blue uniform and red beret got out. Wes, followed by Steve Miller, his and Eric's second-in-command. They spotted Jen and Jimmy; Wes waved and started for them. 

"Jen." He smiled at her. "Hey, Jimmy." 

"What took you so long?" she asked. "Thought you would have been here already." 

"I was out in the field, on a case. Steve came out to pick me up." He looked around. "Where are the guard and driver?" 

"We're looking for them. No sign they were hurt, though. Not yet." 

"Damn," Steve said. "Mitchell and Daniels. They're good men. I hope they're okay." 

Wes lifted a hand to touch his shoulder. "Why don't you take a look for them yourself?" 

"Yes, sir." Steve took off at a trot, circling the truck, Jimmy following more slowly, scanning the ground. 

Jen watched him go sympathetically. Mitchell, the guard, was a Silver Guardian. Daniels, the driver, was a Bio-Lab employee. Like Wes and Eric, Steve was very protective of his people. 

Wes's voice pulled her attention back. "Any ideas who did this?" 

"Probably the same idea you have." 

"Norman. Any solid evidence it's him?" 

"Not yet. But look at this." Jen led him to a muddy spot at the back of the truck. There were three sets of footprints preserved there. Jen watched Wes stare at them, wondering if he would see what she and Jimmy had seen. 

"Three people. But two sets of prints are deeper than the third." 

"Yes. Very deep. Either they weighed more than any normal person, or they were carrying more than a normal person could." 

"Those two robots. And Norman." 

"I think so." They traded a glance of shared concern. 

"The big question now is, what happened to our guard and driver?" Wes said. 

"Look over here." Jimmy was back. He led them to the side of the truck away from the highway, into the bushes between the roadside and the forest stretching away into the hills. 

Jen looked closely, seeing footprints in a patch of soft, bare earth. They pointed in several directions, as if the person had been turning in a circle indecisively -- or perhaps had been cornered, looking for a way out. 

"Only one set of prints." Steve's voice came from beside her. "Can't tell where they're going. But those are Guardian boots. I'd know them anywhere." 

"Yeah." Wes stared at them, his mouth tight. "At least one of them was out of the truck, fighting, or trying to get away. Did Norman capture them? But why? Or are they out there somewhere?" He stared into the trees. 

Jen watched him, then looked into the shadows of the forest herself. _Or did Norman kill them and hide the bodies?_ No one said it, but she knew that was what they were all thinking. 

"We'll have to organize a search," Jimmy said. "Get a team out here. Maybe some volunteers. And dogs." 

"I'll lead a team of Guardians myself," Steve offered. 

"Good." Jimmy sighed, gazing out over the expanse of woods. "We're out in the middle of nowhere. Lots of ground to cover. Hopefully they haven't gone far." 

"If they're here at all," Jen said grimly. 

* * *

It was a long, exhausting, disappointing day. Jen and Wes joined in the search, spending hours tramping through the woods in a line of searchers, stumbling though undergrowth, stopping to call out every now and then, shouting until their throats were raw. Jen found herself moving on automatic, not sure she would recognize a man -- or a body -- if she saw it. 

A body. Would Norman have killed those two men? He had yet to commit an actual murder. The guard and driver had just been doing their jobs, surely he wouldn't have... She paused for a moment to drag a hand over her forehead, wiping away sweat. Norman had tried to kill Eric more than once. The fact was that they had to assume he was capable of anything. 

She stood still, taking a moment to look around, for the first time in hours noticing the beauty of the forest, the silence, only broken by distant shouts, the cool air moving over her skin, soft dappled light filtering through the leaves. Light that was beginning to fade. 

"Jen!" She turned to see Wes emerge from the trees. "Steve just contacted me. They're ending the search for the night. They'll try again in the morning." 

"No one found anything?" 

"Not yet." He sighed, and put an arm around her. "We'll find them. Just a matter of time." 

And a question of whether they'd be found alive or dead. Jen didn't say it. She wrapped an arm around his waist as they started back. "I'm sorry, Wes," she said. 

"For what?" 

"That this happened. I know how much you care about the Guardians. All the Bio-Lab employees." 

"Yeah. Great bunch of people." He was quiet for a few moments before continuing softly. "I didn't count on this part when I took command. Being responsible for protecting them. What it feels like when one of them gets hurt." 

"I know." She turned, stopping them for a quick hug, and raised her face to kiss him. 

"What was that for?" he asked. 

"For you being so nice." 

"Hmm. I'll try to be nice more often." He grinned at her, the warmth of his face, the gleam in his eyes suddenly taking her breath away. 

"Don't be any nicer than you already are. It would be too distracting," she murmured. They began to walk again, in silence as the other searchers began to come into view. 

Steve Miller was in front of them, giving them a glance but not joining them. Jen wondered if he thought they wanted to be alone, or if he himself preferred to avoid company, as she watched him stride along, his steps stiff, shoulders slumped, head bowed. The others didn't look much better, all of them sagging after the tiring and fruitless work. 

"I wonder exactly what happened here," Wes said softly. "Whether we're wasting our time searching." 

"Right now, it's all we can do, until we can find Norman. He's more dangerous than ever. And he's still out to get Bio-Lab." 

"Yeah, he seems to like stealing from us. Attacking our people." Wes's face was as grim as she had ever seen it. 

"It's only been two days since he attacked Eric and Gaby. He's moving fast." 

"I know. We've got to stop him," he said quietly. "I don't like just sitting around waiting for him to come after us again." He looked away from her, up at the highway as they emerged from the trees. "He's hurt two more innocent people, somehow. I don't want that to happen to anyone else." 

* * *

"You did well today," Norman said. Silver and Purple listened quietly, their faces blank metal masks. "We got the equipment I wanted." He smiled. "And tested my new weapon." 

The two robots exchanged a glance. Norman frowned. Did they look disapproving? Or was he only imagining it? "But we have another mission," he went on. "I hope you'll do a better job than you did two days ago." He paced, and turned to stare angrily. 

"Sorry, Master," Purple murmured. 

"I ordered you to kill Eric Myers," Norman said, his voice rising in anger. "You had the chance, why didn't you do it?" 

"We were distracted when you set the house on fire," Silver responded. 

"Distracted." Norman glared at him. "When you get another chance, I expect you to take it. I made you. I can always replace you." They looked at him, faces expressionless again. "One more thing to do, tonight. Be ready. And obey my orders this time!" With a last angry glare, he turned and slammed through the door of the small room Silver and Purple 'lived' in. 

Problems, always problems. He had analyzed the programming used in the cyclobots, understood it, and gone beyond it. Created a new program, one which rivaled the human brain for independent thought and learning ability. It had taken some time to design a computer small and powerful enough to run the program, with a power supply that would last for years. More time to create artificial bodies that looked completely human, except for the metallic surface. 

And of course, he had needed a pattern for them, no time to create their brains with no memory, like a baby, and let them learn. They had his mind, literally; he had found a way to record and duplicate his own mental pathways, the way he thought, even his own memories. They were his clones, in a sense, his carbon copies, images of him, inside and out. He had thought they would be the perfect allies. But... 

Somehow, they weren't exactly like him. Purple could have killed Eric. Should have killed him. Norman frowned. His perfect soldiers were robots, but they had a flaw. An unfortunate tendency to be... human. 

* * *

"Glad to be home. Especially today." Wes smiled at her. 

Jen returned the smile and clasped her hands behind her back. They had finally returned to the Collins house after quick trips to their respective offices, coincidentally both arriving at the same time. It was dark now, they had just gotten out of their cars and were standing at the garage end of the walkway through the small garden in front of the house. She took a step closer, tilting her head and giving him a sidelong, provocative look. 

"It's been a rough day. I suppose you're pretty tired." 

His smile deepened. "C'mon, Jen. I'm never _that_ tired." He took a step closer too. 

"I don't know. I think all I want to do is have dinner and watch some TV..." She grinned, holding up her hand. "Maybe admire my ring some more..." 

"And?" 

"And go to bed..." 

He grinned again and leaned forward to kiss her softly, his lips just grazing hers. She felt his breath as he chuckled softly when she moved closer, reaching to pull his head down. The kiss deepened, his hands stroking her back, his body pressing against her, the anticipation of what would come later... 

They opened the door and started in, hands clasped, stopping a few steps into the foyer. Wes looked around. "No sign of Dad. Race you upstairs." 

"You're on." But Wes cheated, his arms around her stopping her as he kissed her again, slowly and deeply. 

"Aww, how sweet. Hate to interrupt when you're sucking face." 

They sprang apart at the sound of the voice. Jen knew who it was before she saw him. A man, silvery hair shining, the violet tint of his skin more obvious now, startling in the indoor light. His eyes were chilling, flashing metallic silver. He was smiling as he stepped forward, a smile that did nothing to calm her alarm. 

"Norman Ryder!" Wes gasped. He raised his arm, finger poised to press the button on his morpher that would transform him into the red Ranger. Jen was only a split-second behind him. 

"Take a closer look, before you do that." Norman moved aside, revealing four figures behind him. Two of them were the silver and purple robots Jen and Wes had already encountered. But the other two... 

"Dad! Philips!" Wes exclaimed. Alan Collins struggled in Silver's iron grasp. Philips, the Collins family butler, was held by Purple. The two robots stepped forward, metal faces blank, dragging their prisoners with them. 

"Needless to say, attack me and they die," Norman said, a note of triumph in his voice. 

Wes lowered his arm. "What do you want?" he demanded. 

"I'm sure you can guess. I want to know where Gaby and Eric are." 

"So you can kill him and kidnap her? I don't think so," Jen said hotly. 

"Gaby belongs with me. I want her, and I intend to have her." 

"No, Wes, you can't tell them," Collins said, his voice steady. 

"Dad..." Wes hesitated, clearly torn. 

"We don't know where they are!" Jen cut in. "We told them to leave town, and not tell anyone where they are." 

"You're lying." 

"No. And we wouldn't tell you if we did know." 

"Then, I suppose keeping these two alive won't do me any good." Norman smiled again, coldly, took a step back, and nodded to the two robots. "Kill them!" he ordered. 

"Dad! No!" Wes shouted, starting forward. Jen gasped and raised her arm. Silver raised a hand to Collins' throat. Purple bent an arm tight around Philips' neck. 

By the time they could morph, it would be over. Fear and horror shooting though her, Jen pressed the triggering button. And then the light was cascading over her, in only a second leaving her in the pink and white Ranger suit, hand ready to summon her blaster. She saw Silver and Purple, Collins and Philips gasping, struggling, Wes, now fully morphed, charging towards them, a cry of rage as he materialized his blaster. And then... 

The robots were moving, shoving their prisoners away, both of them leaping forward to shield their master. Philips bounced off the wall and dropped, and she saw Collins fall, his head hitting the edge of a small table, collapsing limply to the floor. 

Jen's blaster was in her hand, she fired, hitting Norman. He threw up his arms and fell back a step. A glance showed her Wes, firing his blaster and hitting Purple. She struck Silver with her next shot. Now they both concentrated on Norman, twin blasts striking, hearing him scream in pain and fury. He fired back, she took the blast and fired again, and then the robots were on them, Silver punching her hard in the chest. She staggered but grabbed his arm, pulled, and pivoted for a high kick that caught him in the chin. Wes shouted something beside her, and she saw him crouch and charge, tackling Purple to the floor, where they rolled, shattering an antique chair, struggling for Wes's blaster. 

Silver fell away from her, and she turned to the real enemy again, firing another burst. Norman cried out again, and fired at her. Then he was running past, Silver grabbing her around the legs as she tried to intercept him. Norman charged out the door as Silver and Purple abandoned the fight and ran after him. And the brief struggle was over, leaving them gasping for air. 

Jen and Wes stared at each other for a moment. She started after Norman, but Wes called her back. "Jen, we've got to help Dad and Philips!" He was bent over his father, already demorphing. 

Jen came back to them and checked Philips. He was sitting up, clutching his arm, but he smiled up at her when she asked if he was all right. Collins was another matter, he was semiconscious, groaning, his face filled with pain. 

"I'll call 911," Jen said, holding up her morpher to transform back to normal. She retrieved her purse and pulled out her cell phone, watching Wes with his father. After the call she went back to them. 

"I'm sorry, Wes," she said. "Maybe if I hadn't said we don't know where Eric and Gaby are, this wouldn't have happened." 

Wes looked up at her. "Probably wouldn't have made any difference," he said. 

"I agree, sir," Philips said unexpectedly. "That maniac probably would have killed us whether you told him what he wanted or not." 

"Probably. And it's almost true. All we know is the town where they went." 

"I guess we should call Eric. Warn him," Jen said. 

"No." Wes's voice was firm. "He already knows exactly how much danger they're in. And it's always possible Norman could trace a call. Maybe even through the morphers. Safer not to have any contact." 

"Not to mention he'd probably come running back here if he knows your father is hurt." Jen smiled gently. 

"Yes." He looked at her, his expression grim. "I'll have to assign a troop of Guardians to protect the house." 

"Right." She looked up at where their opponents had disappeared. "Wes," she said thoughtfully. "Remember what Eric said, about Purple hesitating?" 

"I remember." 

"They could have killed your father and Philips. Easily." 

Wes's face became more thoughtful. "True. They could have broken Dad's neck. And Philips'. Norman ordered them to. But they didn't, it was an accident Dad was hurt when he fell." 

"But as long as they're with Norman, on his side, they're still our enemies." 

Wes nodded, and took his father's hand. "Dad..." 

"He'll be okay, Wes," Jen said. 

"I hope so." His face turned to her, his expression uncharacteristically harsh. "We have to get Norman before anyone else gets hurt. This just proves how dangerous he is." 

"We'll get him." 

"But it won't be easy." 

* * *

TBC... 


	4. Descent

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

**A/N:** This story and 'Connections' take place at the same time, and I am posting them at the same time. They are separate but related stories, and can be read together or separately. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Descent

* * *

"Jesus. I hate hospitals." Wes sighed, sitting slumped in an uncomfortable chair in his father's hospital room. He had spent most of the night there, waiting and watching. Now the day had dawned, the first rays of the sun beaming in through the slats of the window blinds with annoying cheerfulness. 

Jen smiled at him. Last night he had insisted she go home and get some rest, but she had returned almost at first light. "You do seem to spend a lot of time in them," she said. 

"Yeah. Too much time." The time Ransik had injured his father. When Eric had been almost killed in the final battle with Ransik's robots. Later, when Wes himself had been sick, when he had been shot, every time a Guardian had been injured... 

"The doctor said he'll be fine. Just a mild concussion." 

"But this shouldn't have happened..." 

"What do you mean?" 

Wes looked up at her. Maybe it was the worry, the sight of his father lying in that hospital bed, maybe it was a missed night of sleep, but he could feel tears threaten. "I should have known Norman might go after my family. To get to me. To get to Eric through me. I should have _been_ there... should have protected him..." 

"You can't blame yourself. No one could predict what someone like Norman will do." 

"_I _should have." 

"Wes..." She came closer and sat in another chair. "You can't blame yourself. Not everything that goes wrong is your fault." 

"But I should have..." 

"No. You always do this. Worry too much. Feel like you have to take care of everyone." 

He smiled. "Sorry." 

"It's a serious character flaw." She returned the smile warmly. 

He raised a hand to run his fingers through his hair until a voice startled him, saying, "Wes?" in a hoarse tone. 

"Dad!" They both looked at the bed, seeing Collins blinking at them, looking dazed but conscious. "Dad, how do you feel?" 

"Like I've been hit on the head. Are you okay?" 

"We're fine." 

Collins' eyes sharpened. "Philips?" 

"He's got some bruises and a sprained elbow. But he'll be fine." 

"Good. What about Ryder? Did you get him?" 

Wes sighed, and exchanged a resigned glance with Jen. "No. Not yet. But we will." 

"Any leads?" 

"Nothing so far. But he's not exactly lying low. Sooner or later we'll run into him again, or track him down. We'll get that bastard." 

"Wes, maybe you should call Eric back." 

"Jen and I can handle it, Dad. Don't worry." 

"That's right," Jen added. "We beat them last night. We can do it again. Hopefully, next time they won't get away." She glanced at Wes, then back at Collins. "Do you feel up to telling us what happened?" 

"Sure..." Collins pushed himself up, wincing as he changed positions. Wes stepped over to the bed quickly, helping him sit up, arranging his pillows, and easing him back onto them. When he was comfortable, he smiled at them as Wes sat down again. 

"They showed up right after dinner. Just knocked on the back door. Philips answered... they forced their way in. I was in the living room, they ran in and grabbed me, too." He frowned, a hint of the fear he must have experienced shadowing his face. "They held us there for about an hour, I guess. Didn't hurt us, but... Ryder threatened us. Wanted to know where Eric and Gaby are." His eyes moved up to meet theirs. "I didn't tell him." 

"Good, Dad." 

"You have to stop him, Wes. An hour of listening to him... He's crazy. Kept ranting about Eric and you. How you don't deserve any of the things you have. He hates you." He paused. "I think even his obsession with Gaby has more to do with taking her away from Eric than with wanting her for himself." 

Wes glanced at Jen. He nodded. "I think you're right. For Norman, it's all about power, all about beating us, and beating Bio-Lab." 

"Well, we just have to make sure he doesn't do it," Jen said. 

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Wes and Jen were headed out. They paused outside the hospital doors, taking a deep breath of fresh outside air. Wes blinked up at the bright sun. 

"I should go out and join the search for our men," Wes said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "They still haven't found any trace of them." 

"Wes, you're tired. Go home and get some rest." 

"I don't feel tired. Couldn't sleep anyway. Steve is covering for me at Bio-Lab, I think I should go." He looked at her face. "What are you going to do?" 

"Go back to the stationhouse. Jimmy's working on your truck robbery, I'll see if he needs a hand. If not, I'll go help with the search, too." 

"Okay. See you later then." He half-smiled. "Wish we had one of those mutant DNA detectors right now, so we could find Norman fast, before he can hurt anyone else…" Wes frowned as his cell phone rang. 

_"Commander Collins?"_

He recognized the voice instantly. "Yes. What is it, Steve?" 

_"We've got a lead. A big one. Got a report of someone seeing a couple of cyclobots. A silver one and a purple one."_

"Silver and Purple. Where?" 

_"The old Hillside silver mine. A couple of hikers saw them. When we got here we found footprints."_

Wes looked up at Jen. "Maybe we've got our wish." He returned to the phone. "You're there already?" 

_"Yeah. Got a squad with me."_

"Okay. Don't do anything until we get there. We go in first. Okay?" 

_"Got it. See you."_

Wes hung up and briefly touched Jen's arm. "Steve thinks he's found them, in an old silver mine that's been closed up for -- at least fifty years. It's a perfect hideout for Norman." 

"What are we waiting for?" 

"Nothing. Let's go." 

* * *

"No one here. Strange." It had taken them only five minutes to arrive after morphing. Wes pushed himself out of the small cockpit of his personal flyer and stood on one of the wings for a moment, looking over the scene. It was a wooded area, on the side of a large hill, rocks scattered around and the ground uneven, probably from the mining operation that had once gone on there. The mine entrance gaped emptily, a dark tunnel leading into the hill. There were footprints, all right, and loose boards on the ground that had obviously been intended to block the entrance. But nothing, and no one, else. 

"Could they have gone inside?" Jen asked. He turned to see her leap to the ground from her own flyer. 

"Steve wouldn't disobey orders. Not if he had a choice." He jumped down also and joined her. 

"No signs of struggle here… and where are the cars?" 

"Don't know. But after whatever Norman did to Mitchell and Daniels… I don't like this." 

"Yeah." She looked around again, hands on hips. "We have to go in. They must be in there." 

"Right. You ready?" 

"As ready as I'll ever be." Her helmeted head turned towards him. "Have to admit, I'd feel better if Eric was here." 

"So would I. But Steve and his troop are in there. We'll have backup, when we find them." 

"I hope so," she muttered. 

They started in, walking slowly and silently into the tunnel, the optics in their helmets adjusting for the darkness, seeing the debris of the work that had gone on here, wooden planks lining the ground, rocks and pieces of ore tossed here and there. After the first few yards it was deathly quiet, the sounds of the forest fading behind them. Soon they were moving through inky black, feeling the air turn chill and clammy through the ventilation in their suits, feeling as if they were completely cut off from the rest of the world. 

"Look," Jen said. 

There was light ahead, someone had powered up the old mine's work lights. A string of widely spaced bright spots ran above them along the roof. As they moved forward, he could see the dark gaps of other, smaller tunnels or holes along the side of the main tunnel. The light made walking easier, but it meant someone was around, had been using this place. They slowed down. There was no sound, impossible to tell if anyone else was there... 

"Look out!" Wes shouted. He and Jen stepped back, falling into fighting position, back to back. From the side tunnels, there were two glimmers, one silver and one purple, as the two robots moved into view, the bright lights gleaming and glittering on their metal skins. 

They stepped out and stood quietly. Then Norman appeared from the far end of the main tunnel, smiling maliciously as he came closer, his hair dazzlingly bright, his eyes literally flashing silver. 

"How nice of you to visit," he said. 

"We're not here for a social call," Wes retorted. "Where are my men? The Silver Guardians, and the guard and driver from the truck you robbed?" 

"Your Guardians are safely back at their base, I imagine. I really don't know." 

"Bullshit. They called us here." 

Norman grinned wider. "Silver, if you would..." 

"Commander Collins, we've got a lead. A report of someone seeing a couple of cyclobots." The voice was Steve Miller's, but it was coming from the silver robot. Wes stared in astonishment and growing alarm. 

"You... it wasn't Miller on the phone." 

"No," Norman said. "My creations are quite good at imitating voices." He laughed. "And you fell for it, without a second thought. Stupid." 

"So this was a trap," Jen said. 

"Of course." 

Wes took a step forward. "What have you done with our guard and driver?" 

Norman shrugged. "I sent them on a little -- trip." He snickered, stepping forward himself, his expression twisting into a snarl. "And now, we're all alone. And you're going to tell me what I want to know." 

"No way," Wes retorted. 

"Aren't you going to call Eric? Save me the trouble of finding him?" 

"And have him walk into a trap, too? We can take care of you ourselves. Right, Jen?" 

"No problem." 

"All right then. Let the game begin." Norman waved a hand at Silver and Purple. With no more warning, the two robots dashed at them from both sides, both moving together, each spinning to slam a sweeping kick at them. Wes blocked Purple's foot, pushing it up to throw the robot on his back, glancing back to see Jen duck and side-kick Silver, before he was forced to concentrate on his own opponent. 

Purple rolled to his feet and came back swinging, punching like a boxer now. Wes blocked again, bent to the side and twisted, and drove a fist into the robot's stomach. A moment later he regretted it, as pain shot through his hand from the impact with hard metal. Purple smiled, a disturbingly human expression, and grabbed for him. Wes dropped to one hand and knee and kicked out in a sweep at his legs, spinning back up and stamping at his purple face as he fell. 

Jen came into view, attacking Silver aggressively, leaping to deliver a quick one-two double kick at the robot's chest, driving him back, hitting the ground to bounce back in a spin and a back kick, sending Silver slamming against the wall of the tunnel. Her opponent hit, and immediately pushed off, hitting her in the chest. She fell on her back, rolled her legs up, and flipped back to her feet, ducking another punch. 

Meanwhile, Purple had grabbed up a long, slim metal pipe from the discarded materials on the tunnel floor and tucked it under one arm, whipping it at Wes backhanded. He ducked, saw it come at him again, and threw himself into a roll, recovering and turning back. 

Purple moved towards Jen from behind, lifting the pipe, then hesitating just for a heartbeat. Just long enough. Wes ran a few steps and jumped, crashing into the robot, then wrestling him for the pipe. Jen turned, saw them, knocked Silver back with a fast back kick, and grabbed the end of the pipe, sliding it out of Purple's grip with a hard yank. A moment later, she was ramming it into Silver's midsection. He doubled up and staggered against the tunnel wall. 

Wes rolled onto his back, Purple on top of him, and kicked him up and over, holding on to his upper arms to send him slamming into the ground. A split second later, he was on his feet, blaster summoned and pointed at Purple's head. The robot froze, staring at him, metallic anger on his face. Jen had her own blaster in hand and aimed now, and was facing off with Silver. 

"Looks like we win this game," Wes panted. "Your playmates are down. Give up before we do the same to you, Norman." 

"Give up? But the fun's just begun." Wes glanced up, to see Norman standing several yards away, smiling with surprising confidence, one hand behind his back. He brought it out now, holding a large, odd-looking gun. His smile widened as he raised it. 

"No you don't!" Wes cried, swinging his blaster around. But Purple was ready, he uncoiled from the ground and grabbed Wes's wrist, forcing it up and behind his head, a metal arm closing around his neck. 

"Wes!" he heard, and saw Jen turn toward him, distracted just for the moment Silver needed to jump at her, twisting her arm behind her, a rough hand behind her shoulder driving her down to her knees. 

"Excellent." Wes looked up at the sound of Norman's voice. Saw him smile again, the chill of menace in that unfriendly expression, the strange gun coming at them, firing, but not bullets or energy blasts. A large pellet came from it, hitting the ground between them and bursting. 

A fog of pale violet smoke drifted over them, seeming to move in slow motion. He realized it was gas, leaving a purple haze in the air, a haze that seemed to distort his vision, a faint, sweet smell as the world began to change around him, a hint of something else behind it... 

Sudden fatigue came over him. With a last coherent thought, he looked for Jen, seeing her collapse to her hands and knees, and then roll onto her back. He slumped down, falling to his knees, then to his face, so tired, a moment of vertigo coming and going, darkness, silence, peace, and then... 

* * *

A sweet smell, like flowers, like the garden behind his house. A voice was talking to him, the words not making sense, not yet. He shook his head, raised a hand to rub his eyes. There was light when he opened them, daylight, the brightness of early morning. A cool breeze. He was sitting on a stone bench in the garden at the back of his house, near the swimming pool. And not alone. 

"Wes? Are you all right?" 

"Huh? Dad? How..." he glanced around in confusion. There had been a fight -- a man, a woman -- Jen... "How did I get here? What happened?" 

"You looked like you drifted off for a minute. Typical." Collins smiled, but not approvingly. "You usually fall asleep when I talk business." 

"No..." Wes struggled to his feet, fighting a wave of dizziness. "Something happened..." 

"What?" 

"I -- I don't remember... I was fighting someone, I was morphed..." He stared at his left arm. "Where's my morpher?" 

"Your morpher?" His father was staring, face dismayed. "You know you don't have a morpher." 

"What are you talking about?" Wes pressed a hand to his head again, images blurring in confusion, trying to hold on to memories which seemed to distort as he reached for them. 

"Wes, son..." Collins frowned at him. "You must have been dreaming. You were the red Ranger only once, when the others needed you to unlock the morphers. Jen never let you use it again. They didn't need you, not after Eric got his morpher and joined the team. I know you were disappointed, but you have to face reality. You're not a Ranger, and you never will be again." 

* * *

TBC... 


	5. Deception

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

**A/N:** This story and 'Connections' take place at the same time, and I am posting them at the same time. They are separate but related stories, and can be read together or separately. 

I have used Alex's official last name of Drake here, and done my own alteration of history by changing it in my previous stories. This is not to imply anyone else should do the same, it's a matter of personal choice. I also learned recently that Silver Hills is officially in Washington State, but I refuse to move it when it so obviously looks like California. 

Part of this is similar to a story by Giannola, my thanks to her for not objecting to my using the same plot idea. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Deception

* * *

Steve Miller was unhappy. It was an unusual state for him, being consciously unhappy. Most of the time he simply didn't think about it, one way or the other. He just did his job, a job which took up most of his life. And most of the time it was enough. 

Now, typically, it was his job as Lieutenant Commander of the Silver Guardians that was making him unhappy; or not the job exactly, but the fact that he couldn't reach Wes Collins. While Wes wasn't the most conscientious person in the world, he could be relied on to check in periodically. And so far today, there had been no word from him since an early morning call to say he was still with his father in the hospital. Steve had tried Wes's cell phone and gotten no answer. He could be in a large building, he could have turned his phone off. He had an annoying habit of doing that. He could be following up a lead, he and Jen could be at lunch and didn't want to be disturbed. They weren't kids, after all. But some gut instinct told him something was wrong. 

The worst part of the problem, the thing that was making him unhappy, was that he didn't know what to do about it. Mr. Collins was in the hospital, he would be no help, and Steve was reluctant to worry him. He was under strict orders not to call Eric except in an emergency, and it was probably nothing, after all... 

Much too soon to be concerned, he decided. Wes always checked with him by the end of the day. He'd show up. 

* * *

Wes walked into his office and stood for a moment, sighing, before crossing the room to sit behind his desk. He picked up the small pile of papers in his inbox and tried to concentrate. After a few minutes he gave it up and let his mind drift, remembering what had happened in the garden that morning. His mind had cleared quickly, his memories becoming real and coherent. And unpleasant. 

Months ago, Jen had used him to unlock the morphers. Then she had taken the red morpher back, calling him a spoiled child who had never had to fight for anything in his life. He had been angry and hurt, mostly because he had known she was right. He had gone to considerable trouble to impress her after that, hoping to join the team on a permanent basis, even finding them a place to live in the old clock tower. But it had done no good. 

He grimaced, remembering what _had_ happened. He had fallen in love with Jen, a hopeless and so far unreturned love. He had pursued her, taken her out several times, thought he had a chance. But every time he tried to get closer, make their relationship more intimate, she would withdraw and mention Alex. He believed that she was sincerely devoted to the memory of her recently dead fiancé, but over six months had passed now, and nothing had changed. 

And then, to make things worse, Eric had shown up, found the Quantum morpher, and succeeded where Wes had failed. Become the fifth Ranger. Fought at Jen's side against Ransik. Taken what Wes had wanted… He frowned. Eric had been arrogant and hostile when he had shown up in Silver Hills, but becoming a Ranger and commander of the Silver Guardians had seemed to settle him down. With time, they had begun to work together at Bio-Lab, and had even begun a cautious friendship. But they had little in common, little reason to spend time together. Wes was unable to overcome the envy he felt, and he suspected Eric envied him his money and relatively easy position in life. 

"Got a minute for your father?" The voice, accompanied by a knock on the open door, distracted him. Looking up, he smiled quickly. "Dad. What's up?" 

"Meeting in half an hour. Don't forget." 

"I won't." Wes sighed. "What's this one about again?" 

Annoyance crossed Collins' face. "Progress report on East Coast sales. Wes..." 

"I know, I forgot again. Sorry." 

"Eric will be there." Collins took a few steps into the room. "He'll be prepared for it, and you won't. You don't want him to look better than you, do you?" 

Wes frowned at him, surprised and hurt. "Dad... I didn't know I had to compete with him." 

"It might be good for you to compete with him. He's a Ranger. He's got command of the Guardians. On top of that, he's doing a better job as a businessman than you are." 

"What?" Wes stood, anger stirring inside him now. "That's not fair!" 

"Life isn't fair, son. If it was, you'd be doing all those things. You'd have everything Eric has." 

"I..." Shaken, Wes stared at him. 

"Amazing, how he can handle being a Ranger, leading the Guardians, and keep up with the business side. He's quite a man. Ambitious. He worked hard to get where he is. At Bio-Lab, and with the Rangers." 

"And I didn't." 

"Well, I'm sorry, son, but it's the truth. You can't blame Jen for accepting him into the team. Eric's a great Ranger." 

"Huh. She didn't have much choice, when he wouldn't give up his morpher." 

"But they're pretty friendly now... Wes... There's something I have to say." His father hesitated, a look of compassion on his face, but his eyes watching with only coldness behind them. "You're not going to like this, but someone has to tell you sooner or later. Eric and Jen have been seeing each other." 

"What?" Wes stared at him, his heart freezing. "What are you talking about?" 

A hand touched his shoulder. His father was next to him now, his voice low. "Son, I know how you feel." There was a pause. "I know how much you care for her. But she's been with Eric for a while now. They didn't want you to know." 

"What? Eric and Jen? No..." 

Collins stared at him, then turned to look out the window, standing close, his voice continuing softly. "All that time you spent, trying to get closer to Jen. She was just starting to like you… But then Eric came along. After he became the Quantum Ranger… All those months of working together… She fell for him. That's why you haven't gotten anywhere with her." 

"No. It can't be true!" 

"It's true, Wes." Collins sighed. "I don't blame you for taking it hard. Must be tough, losing someone like Jen, especially to a man you thought was your friend." 

"Yes, Eric's my friend..." 

"But would a friend have taken everything you want? Would a friend be with the woman you love?" 

"No... I don't know..." He pressed a hand to his head, feeling unsteady. "This isn't right. How could Jen be with Eric?" 

"She leads a team of trained combat officers. You're a kid from the suburbs who was never in a real fight before in your life. Eric -- he's been in the military, had the training, was in the Silver Guardians -- and face it, he's handsome, he can even be charming, when he wants something. Wasn't it natural she'd fall for him?" 

Feeling weak, Wes felt the backs of his knees contact the chair and sat heavily. It was all true, it must be true. It even made a perverse kind of sense. He looked back up at his father, pain starting to turn to anger and resentment. "Maybe if you'd let me join the Guardians, things would have been different." 

"You in the Guardians?" Collins chuckled. "You never showed an interest, until it was too late. And you're not exactly the type. Eric's doing a great job as commander. Just like he's moving up in Bio-Lab -- he's got all the dedication and drive you never had. Someday he'll take over the company." 

"But I'm your son! I should be the one to take over." 

His father leaned on the desk, smiling slightly and bending close to speak almost in his ear. "Now, that just wouldn't make any sense, Wes. You never took an interest in the company. You never cared, not even enough to stay awake in meetings. Eric is the one who knows what's going on, the one who understands the business, the one who can make the tough decisions. You're a low-level manager. Be satisfied with that. It's as high as you're going to go." 

"But -- I've been trying -- I've been learning..." 

"Doesn't that just prove it? You went to business school -- Harvard -- you grew up in my home, had the best education, the best training, and yet a high-school dropout who grew up in an orphanage already knows more about Bio-Lab than you do." 

"That's not true! There are things I can do better than Eric!" 

"He's tougher, smarter, stronger." 

"I'm better at dealing with people! And he's not smarter or stronger!" 

"He works harder." 

"If you'd just given me a chance... I could be a good leader for the Guardians, and a good businessman. I know I could." 

Collins laughed again, softly but with a mocking note. "You had plenty of chances, Wes. And you blew them all." 

Wes stood up again and turned away, his heart filling with bitterness. "If Jen had let me be a Ranger, none of this would have happened." 

"Can you blame her?" 

"I... I don't know." Wes raised a hand to his head, trying to hold back another wave of dizziness. 

"Jen and Eric. They're together, now. They've gone off somewhere." Collins' eyes became intent. Just for an instant, Wes thought he saw something flash in them, something silver, but then it was gone, leaving icy blue. "Where are they, Wes? Where's Eric gone?" he asked, in a soft but intense voice. 

"No -- you're confusing me…" 

"You could find them, stop them." 

"I don't understand..." 

"He's touching her… His hands are on her, on her body… He's kissing her, she's kissing back…" 

"No! Why are you saying that?" 

"She thinks he's better than you, as a Ranger. As a person." Collins' voice was even closer, filling his head with the image of Eric and Jen, together, their bodies naked, moving together… It became a whisper that seemed to pierce right into Wes's heart. "She thinks he's a better lover, too." 

"NOO!" Wes jumped up, looked around blindly, and ran from the office, pushing his father aside. He slammed through the door into empty corridors, and kept running, an angry voice shouting behind him. 

* * *

_"No, I haven't heard from Jen."_

Steve frowned as he listened to Jimmy Duran's voice over the phone. "Did she check in with anyone? Any idea where they could be?" 

_"She called this morning and said she was going to the hospital to check on Collins and Wes. I didn't really expect to see her. Assumed she was working on the case on her own, or maybe went home to get some rest."_

"Yeah, they had a rough night." 

_"Look, it's probably nothing. It's only been a few hours. They could be somewhere out of cell phone coverage, or have them turned off..."_

"I guess you're right. Thanks, Jimmy. Let me know if she calls." 

_"I will. And... get in touch if you hear anything first."_

Steve put the phone down and sighed. Probably nothing. Just his own paranoia. But he had heard just a hint of worry in Jimmy's voice. 

* * *

Jen stirred, the lingering sweet smell of flowers in her nostrils, and opened her eyes. Squinting in brightly blinding light, she tried to raise a hand, but something held her back. Startled, frightened, she looked down at herself. She was dressed in prison gray, and chains glinted in the light, her hands cuffed in front of her. She pulled at them in panic. 

"Don't fight. You'll only hurt yourself," a voice murmured. She looked around, seeing three uniformed guards around her, just outside the small circle of light she was standing in. It was darkened everywhere else in the large room she sensed she was in. The guards' faces were shadowed, only their eyes visible, watching her coldly, watching her as if she was some dangerous animal. 

"Please continue your testimony, Commander Drake." The voice came from above her, out of the darkness. Peering up, Jen could just make out a raised bench, with three hooded figures sitting behind it. 

"Yes, Judge." This voice was familiar, terribly familiar. Jen squinted again, seeing a box next to the judges' bench, a witness stand, with someone in it. His face was familiar, too. 

"Alex," she whispered. 

Perhaps he heard her. His eyes moved sharply to her face, his expression hard and unyielding. He watched her as he began to speak. 

"When the Rangers' mission was completed in 2001, they were instructed to return home. Captain Logan gave them a direct order, and sent a timeship for them. They knew the situation, knew the risk to the timeline if they stayed longer than they had to." His gaze intensified on Jen's face. "The others came back as ordered. But Jen didn't." 

She closed her eyes, shutting out the hard cold mask of his face. She had stayed in 2001... It didn't seem right. She had decided... But the memories fell into place, slowly, one by one. Months of hiding, with Wes. Running. Being hunted down, by Alex and her former teammates. Finally being caught, giving up, neither she nor Wes being willing to fight their friends. The tearing pain of being separated from the man she loved, forever, the shame of being arrested, locked up, brought to trial, surrounded by contemptuous and condemning eyes. 

"What happened that day?" 

"Lucas, Katie, and Trip waited at the timeship. Eventually Eric came to tell them Jen and Wes had disappeared, run away together." 

"The accused was your fiancée at that time, was she not?" 

"Yes, Judge, she was." 

"Did she contact you? Give any reason for her actions?" 

"Yes, Judge. Eric brought a letter she had left for me and her former teammates." 

"Please summarize the contents of that letter for the court." 

"It said..." He hesitated for the first time. "It said she had found her one true love. And she couldn't give him up. Even if it meant betraying me, and the promises we made. Even if it meant damaging the timeline. Even if it meant changing history, throwing our world into an alternate reality. She didn't care how many lives she destroyed, as long as she and Wes were happy." 

There was a murmur from the stands surrounding them. Jen could see them now, a sea of dim forms, people sitting in their places watching the trial. A buzz of shocked disapproval rose from them. 

"What happened then?" 

"Lucas, Katie, and Trip obeyed orders. They returned to our time and reported in. We realized we had a serious situation that required correction. I was given the black morpher, made a Ranger again, and sent with the other Rangers to capture Jen." 

"Wasn't that considered a threat to the timeline also?" 

"Yes, sir. But the greater risk would have been leaving her there. We had no choice, she forced us to do it." 

"Did the accused attempt to hide? Did she resist arrest?" 

"She and her lover fled. They managed to avoid detection for a few months. When we tracked them down they tried to escape, but they surrendered when they realized they were trapped." 

"Where is Wesley Collins now?" 

"We brought him here, temporarily, to testify." 

Startled, Jen pulled in a breath and looked around, trying to find Wes. She saw only blank, hostile faces. And then she saw _them_. A tall Asian man, a tall brown-skinned woman, a head of bright green hair. All sitting in the witness section. 

"Thank you, Commander Drake. You may step down. Call the next witness." There was a pause while another form took his place in the witness stand. "State your name." 

"Lucas Kendall." His eyes fell on Jen as he added, squaring his shoulders slightly, "Time Force officer." 

"Can you support Commander Drake's statement? Is that the way it happened?" 

Without hesitation, he replied. "Yes. That's the way it happened. We all knew Jen was in love with Wes. We knew she didn't want to leave him. But she was a Time Force officer, one of the best. She worked harder than anyone to stop Ransik from changing history. We never suspected she'd turn traitor to us, to her entire world, just to be with him." 

Jen swallowed and looked away, unable to meet his harsh gaze. 

"And can you think of any extenuating circumstances? Anything that might excuse her behavior, or give the court reason to show mercy?" 

She stole another glance at him. His face showed nothing as he answered. "No. She broke the law. She knew what she was doing. There's no excuse for what she did." He paused, his face becoming even harder, colder. "She's a disgrace to Time Force." 

"You're excused. Next witness." 

"Katie Walker. Time Force officer." Her eyes were filled with pain, her face pinched with it. 

"Do you support the testimony given before the court in this case?" 

"Yes, sir." It was not much more than a whisper, but it carried clearly to Jen. 

"Can you offer any insight into why she did it? Any reason, any logic?" 

Katie raised her eyes to the judges' bench. "She did it for love, Judge. The oldest reason in the world." 

"Are you saying you understand it?" 

"I..." She looked back at Jen, seeming to struggle with herself. "I don't know. Perhaps I understand it, we can all understand love, wanting to do anything, give everything up for love. If she had only hurt herself, I could understand. But she was willing to hurt everyone; Alex, us, our families, everyone... I can't understand that." She took a deep breath. "I hate saying it. But Jen betrayed us all." 

"Can you offer any reason for the court to show mercy?" 

"No. I'm sorry, Jen." 

"That's all, Officer Walker. Call the next witness." 

Green hair, a youthful face, now filled with as much distress as Katie's. Trip took the stand, avoiding her eyes after one quick glance. 

"Please state your name." 

"Trip Regis. Time Force officer." 

"Have you anything to add to the testimony given before this court?" 

He took a breath, glancing at Jen briefly again. "Everything that's been said here is true. Jen should have come back with us. She knew it was important for her to leave 2001. Knew the consequences if she stayed. But she chose Wes over everything and everyone else." 

"Do you know any reason why the court should show mercy?" 

"Judge..." He hesitated, looking even more troubled. "Jen was our teammate. She did a great job. I don't think we could have beaten Ransik without her. She led us, gave us guidance and support, kept us in line, trained Wes, made us all into good Rangers. Our whole world owes her a big debt." 

"Are you saying she should be excused because of what she did before her crime?" 

"No." He sighed, looking directly into Jen's face. "It just makes it worse. Jen saved all of us. She worked so hard, did so much. She knew exactly how important it was. And then... she was willing to destroy all of that, just to be with Wes. To please herself. To make herself happy, at the expense of other lives." 

There was silence for a moment. "Do you still consider her your friend?" 

Trip hung his head, lips trembling for a moment before he whispered, "No." 

* * *

Wes ran, chest heaving, through hallways that seemed to never end. He slowed, bent over, then moved to brace himself against a wall. Panic filled him. As his breathing slowed, he looked around, the cold, empty corridors slowly becoming familiar, until he finally recognized where he was. Ironically, right where he was supposed to be, outside the conference room where the meeting he was supposed to attend was being held. 

"Wes, are you all right?" A glance showed his father in the doorway, his face shadowed. 

"Dad... Sure, I'm fine." 

Collins shook his head. "You're always doing this. Always acting on impulse, without thinking." 

"Sorry, Dad." 

"Well, come on in. The meeting's about to start." 

Wes followed him in. Everyone else was already there, faces turning to watch him come in, watch him walk to his place and sit down, the last one, as usual. Eric was a few places away, his face blank and impassive, his dark eyes staring coldly. He nodded as he met Wes's gaze. 

"Now that everyone's here, we can get started." His father's voice seemed to trail into a blur of background sounds as Wes watched Eric furtively, wondering. He had to know the truth, know if his friend was betraying him, with the woman who should have been his. And he'd find out. Soon. 

* * *

He was just about to dial the hospital, still wondering how to ask without causing unnecessary worry, when his phone rang. Steve picked it up, his pulse quickening, already sensing it was something he didn't want to hear. 

_"Steve?"_

"Mr. Collins. Sir. I was just about to call you." 

_"Steve, have you heard from Wes or Jen in the last few hours?"_

He paused for a moment, unconsciously raising a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "No. I guess you haven't either." 

_"Right. He hasn't called. He was supposed to take me home from the hospital today. I can't reach him or Jen."_

"Shit... Sorry, sir. I've been trying to get him since before lunch. Tried Jimmy, too, but he hasn't heard from Jen. Thought they might just be busy, following a lead or something... Didn't want to worry you. But if he didn't come to pick you up, something must be wrong." 

_"Yes."_ A hesitation on the other end. _"We have to call Eric."_

"Yeah. He's the only one who can find them quickly, with his morpher." The decision made, Steve stood up. "Do you want to call, or should I?" 

_"I will... No. Damn. Call him, and arrange to back him up with a troop of Guardians. You can move faster that way."_

"Right away, sir." 

_"I'm counting on you, Steve. And pass that along to Eric, too."_

He hung up, called the number, felt relief when the familiar voice answered. "Sir," he said, "I'm afraid I have bad news." 

* * *

TBC... 


	6. Betrayal

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Betrayal

* * *

The meeting was over, finally. Wes stood with the others and started out, his eyes on Eric's back. He followed until they were away from the crowd and then caught up, reaching to tap Eric's blue-uniformed shoulder. 

"Wes. What's up?" His face was as unrevealing as usual, only a very faint smile showing emotion. 

"I need to talk to you." 

"Talk away." They turned, starting down the suddenly empty hallway together. Unexpectedly reluctant, Wes hesitated. Eric looked at him, a trace of amusement on his face now. "Well?" he asked, with just a hint of sarcasm. "I don't have all day." 

"Dad told me something." Wes paused again. 

"And what was that?" 

"He said... He said you and Jen are seeing each other." 

Eric definitely smiled this time, an amused and somehow hostile smile. "Seeing each other. I guess that's one way of putting it." 

"You mean... it's true? You're going out with Jen?" Wes stopped walking to stare in shock. 

"We stay in more than we go out." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Do I have to spell it out?" He smiled again. 

"Yes! Are you dating Jen or not?" 

"Dating? Not exactly." 

"Then what, _exactly_?" 

"We don't really have what you'd call a relationship. At least not as far as I'm concerned." Eric leaned closer, his smile widening. "But she's a great lay." 

Wes glared speechlessly for a moment before bursting out, "You bastard! You don't even care about her!" 

Eric shrugged. "Hey, we both know it can't last. Why not have some fun in the meantime?" He turned away, starting for his office again. 

Wes took a step and grabbed his arm, seeing anger flare in his eyes as he turned back. "How could you do it? Both of you! You know how I feel about Jen!" 

Eric pulled his arm away. "And I'm supposed to care exactly why?" He looked Wes up and down insolently. 

"I thought... I thought we were friends!" 

"Think again." 

"You... you acted like my friend. All the times we hung out. The things we talked about. I even invited you to my house!" 

"Yeah, well, that gave me the chance to get closer to your father. And it's paid off." Again that tight, contemptuous smile. "You're a fool, Wes. Why would I waste my time on _you_?" 

Wes took a step back, a sensation of unreality sweeping over him. "I can't believe this..." 

"Face it. You're useless to me, to Jen, to your father." His smile was malevolent, vicious. "I've always had to do the hard work while you coasted along. Well, I'm sick of it. I want everything you have. Bio-Lab, your dad's respect. Your girl." Eric took a step closer, jerking a thumb at his own chest, his face darkening with something close to hatred. "I deserve it. I'm going to get it. And you can't stop me." 

"No! You can't have Jen!" 

"But I already have her. Ask her yourself." He sneered, glaring, for a moment before turning and walking quickly away, leaving Wes standing alone in the hallway. 

* * *

"State your name for the court." 

"Wesley Collins." His eyes met Jen's, his face calm and controlled. Jen watched him through a blur of tears. 

"Did the prisoner discuss her plans with you, the night before she was supposed to return to her own time?" 

"Yes, sir, she did." 

"Please summarize that discussion for the court." 

His expression softened slightly. "She didn't want to go. We talked about it. About what might happen if she stayed. History would change. Just her presence in my time would have an effect. And it would be worse if we got married, had children. If she prevented me from marrying someone else." 

"And did the two of you reach a decision?" 

"Not exactly. I told her she had to go. That we couldn't do all that damage to her time -- this time -- just to please ourselves. But she wouldn't listen." 

"Wes, no... That's not right..." Jen whispered. 

"I'm sorry, but it's true. I was surprised. Jen always seemed so responsible. So dedicated. I was shocked when she said she was staying." 

"What did you do?" 

Wes shrugged, a hint of a smile lifting his lips. "She wanted to give up everything, for me. What _could_ I do? I agreed, although I didn't really want to. I got money from my father. Took her away. We kept moving. But after a few months they found us." 

"What happened then?" 

"They cornered us in a motel room. All of them. Alex, Lucas, Katie, Trip, even Eric. Jen wanted to fight, but I said we had done enough damage already, we couldn't hurt our friends when they were just doing their jobs." 

"So you surrendered." 

"Yes, sir. We gave up. They brought us here." 

"Can you give us further insight? Any reason why the court should show mercy?" 

Wes raised his chin, gazing at Jen steadily. She felt tears trickle down her cheeks as he answered. "No. She betrayed everything she said she believed in. I felt betrayed too." He paused, his mouth drawing into a thin line. "To tell the truth, I don't love her anymore." 

Through the numbness of misery, Jen watched him descend from the stand and return to his seat next to Alex, not even sparing her a glance. The judges murmured together for a moment, before turning back to face her. She raised her hands to wipe her wet face, wincing as the handcuffs shifted on her wrists and the chain between them rattled. 

A glint of light caught her eye. A ring, its facets flashing, glimmering in sparks of color. It was on the third finger of her left hand. The ring Alex had given her. Only -- no, it was a different ring, from a different man. She stared at it, some forgotten part of her mind insisting it was important, it was real, more real than... 

"Does the prisoner have anything to add in her own defense?" The voice boomed at her, distracting her. Her hands dropped back down, the ring forgotten. 

Jen straightened her back. She might be disgraced, but at least she could show some courage and dignity now. "All I can say is that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I know I did wrong. I have no excuse, no explanation. All I have is regrets." 

"Are you ready for sentencing?" 

"Yes, Judge, I'm ready." 

"You know what you've done." The voice was low and hostile. "You betrayed Time Force. Deserted the people of your own time. Cheated on your fiancé. Risked altering history. And all for _love_." The word sounded like a curse. 

There was a brief pause before the voice began again, now cool and impersonal again. "The prisoner is accused of tampering with the timestream for her own selfish purposes. Accused of being a traitor to Time Force, to the oath she swore as an officer, and to her fiancé, the man she said she loved." He paused. "What is the judgment of this court?" 

"Guilty." 

"Guilty." 

"Guilty!" 

"The prisoner has been found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison, alongside Ransik, Conwing, and Steelix, the worst temporal criminals in history. Take her away." 

"No..." Jen cringed back as the guards closed in on her, grabbing her arms and dragging her away, into the dark, blind, helpless and alone, pulling her roughly along to an unknown but terrifying fate. 

* * *

The clock tower. Wes parked his motorcycle, got off and stood for a few moments, looking up. The building was so familiar, rising above him, the huge clock face staring out over the city in the sunlight. He smiled, then blinked in surprise. 

Something seemed... not entirely right. A flash of memory came to him. The clock face, broken, shattered, pieces of glass flying around him... A great burst of flame and noise, the tower burning, a pile of ruins and ashes... 

But there it was, still standing, everything perfectly normal. He shook his head in bewilderment before walking into the 'Nick of Time' shop door. 

"May I help... Wes! Hey, great to see you!" Trip was behind the counter, putting a book down and jumping off his stool, a big grin on his face. 

"Trip! Man, it's good to see you, too." Wes stepped forward to meet him, as he came around the counter, shaking hands enthusiastically. 

"So -- what are you doing here?" 

Wes's smile faded. "I want to talk to Jen. Is she here?" 

Trip's face sobered too. "Well, yeah. But I don't think she wants to see you." 

"What do you mean? Why not?" 

"You know Jen. She's always busy. She doesn't have time to hang out." 

"I'm not here to waste her time. But I'm going to talk to her." 

"Wes..." Trip blocked his way as he started for the back of the shop and the stairs. 

Wes looked at him in surprise. "Trip, what are you doing?" 

"Trying to stop you from making a mistake." 

"I'm going up." Wes gave him a hard look, and started forward again. 

Trip stood aside with a sigh. "Okay, it's your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you." 

Wes trotted up the stairs, feeling a moment of almost overwhelming nostalgia, as if he hadn't been there for years. But of course that was silly. He shook the thought away as he emerged from the stairwell and walked out into the main room. It was all exactly as he expected, a large, dusty space, dimly lit by the sun's rays slanting through tall, stone framed windows. He glanced up to see the clock bell, hung from the ceiling. Again an image came to him, the bell falling... 

But then he saw Jen, sitting at the display screen, interfaced with Circuit. The owl-like computer turned its head and blinked at him. She was researching something, as usual, concentrating on her work. Katie was in the main living area, sweeping up. Lucas was sprawled on the sofa, watching television. Wes nodded to them, ignoring their lack of welcoming smiles, and approached Jen. 

"Wes!" She seemed surprised, and not pleased, as she looked up. "What are you doing here?" 

"No hello?" Wes smiled, pulling up another chair and sitting. 

"Sorry, I'm kind of busy." She glanced at the screen again, and then shut it off rather reluctantly and faced him. "Hello. What do you want?" 

"Jen... I want to talk to you." 

"Now? Can't it wait?" 

"No. I need to talk. Now." 

She studied his face, seeming about to refuse but apparently finding something there to change her mind. She frowned, and called, "Lucas, Katie, would you excuse us?" Lucas got up, and both of them headed for the stairs, giving Wes distinctly unfriendly glances as they went by. 

"All right," Jen said as soon as their footsteps faded. "What is it?" 

"It's... I had a talk with my dad. And with Eric." He was unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. 

"With Eric? What about?" 

"About you, actually." 

"Ah." Jen leaned back, folding her arms. "I suppose I can guess what you said. You wanted to know if we're together. If we're seeing each other." 

"Yes. And he told me." Wes watched her face for any trace of embarrassment, shame, even discomfort, and only found a small, almost smug smile. 

"Yes, I'm seeing Eric. Why not?" Her smile deepened. 

"But I thought... you and me..." 

She shrugged slightly. "We went out a few times. So what? I'm free to date whoever I want." 

"He said you're... seeing a lot of each other. Only he didn't put it like that." 

"Yes, we're sleeping together. Not that it's any of your business." 

"Jen..." Agitated, angry, he stood up. "I love you. You know I do. How could you do this?" 

"What do you mean, how? I don't owe you anything." 

Anger came, stronger now. Hot words burst from him. "You don't owe me? Who fixed you up in this tower? Gave you the chance to open that odd job shop and earn a living? You'd still be living on the damn beach if not for me!" 

She jumped up to confront him, face to face. "Yeah, a dusty, dirty old clock tower! Not exactly luxury! Thanks a lot!" 

"It's the best I could do! A lot better than nothing!" 

"And I suppose you expect me to jump in bed with you, out of gratitude!" 

"What?" Wes stopped, chilled at the expression of fury on her face. The face that should have been smiling, should have looked at him with love... He could almost see it... "This is wrong," he muttered. "It's all wrong..." 

"This is the way it is," she said, her voice low and hard. "We don't need you. I don't want you. I'm sleeping with Eric, and I like it. And there's nothing you can do about it." 

"Maybe." Wes heard his own voice, just as hard, determination squaring his shoulders. "Eric doesn't care about you. He's just using you. All he wants is sex." 

"You're lying. You'd say anything to split us up." 

"Maybe I would. But it's true. And I'm going to make him tell you the truth." 

"Go ahead." She crossed her arms. "Try it. See what happens." 

"Yeah, we'll see." With a last glare, he turned away and headed for the stairs, holding back his feelings, the tears that wanted to flow, until he reached the bottom. 

"Wes." 

He looked up, seeing all three of them, Lucas, Katie, and Trip, standing in his way in the small shop office. It was Lucas who had spoken, standing in front of the other two, his face unfriendly. 

"Lucas. What is it?" 

"You shouldn't have come here. You know you're not part of the team. Don't make trouble for Jen." 

"I'm trying to help her!" 

"Are you?" It was Katie who asked the question, stepping up beside Lucas. "Or do you just want her for yourself?" 

"I want her to be happy. If Eric really cared for her..." 

"You'd still be trying to break them up. Leave her alone." 

"No!" He took a step forward. "After all I've done for you. You're all ungrateful jerks." 

"And what about you?" Trip asked softly. "Only thinking about yourself..." 

"Are you going to get out of my way?" 

Lucas stared at him coldly, then stepped aside. After another long moment, Katie moved also, her face hard. Wes started forward, pausing long enough for Trip to give him a long look before turning to give him room. In another moment he was on his motorcycle, speeding away as fast as he could. 

* * *

Eric watched the ground stream below him grimly, as he flew above stretches of forest, an expanse of trees giving way to slopes dotted with rocks and bushes. Raising the morpher on his left wrist, he spoke into it. "Highlight it for me." 

_"Highlighting location of red and pink morphers." _The morpher didn't exactly talk to him, its 'voice' spoke only inside his head. 

He frowned inside his helmet, trying to keep track of where he was, his mind slipping back to less than half an hour earlier. Steve Miller's call had shaken him up. Wes and Jen, missing. His fault, he couldn't help feeling. His fault for leaving them to fight Norman Ryder alone. It had seemed like a reasonable decision at the time, but look how it had turned out. And now... he had been forced to leave Gaby in a motel in Canela Beach, alone. She would leave in the morning, and keep moving. But still... 

Concentrate on the problem at hand. Finding Wes and Jen would mean finding Norman. With Norman eliminated, Gaby would be safe. Find them -- hope they were all right. He blinked, startled out of his thoughts, as a targeting display lit up in his helmet visor. 

"Both of the morphers are there?" 

_"The red and pink morphers are at the displayed location. Neither is active."_

Not active. That might be bad. If Wes and Jen weren't morphed, they probably weren't fighting. Not anymore. Eric felt his jaw clench. If only he had been here, maybe he would have realized they were missing earlier. Maybe he could have prevented whatever had happened. 

It took him perhaps a minute to find a landing spot and leave his flyer. Another couple of seconds to demorph. Then his cell phone was out and pressed to his ear. 

"Steve?" 

_"Yes, sir. Have you located them?"_

"Yes." Eric looked upwards. He was deep in the hills surrounding the city, looking at the entrance to one of the silver mines that had given Silver Hills its name. The first major one, if he remembered his rather patchy knowledge of local history. "I'm at the old Hillside silver mine. Both of their morphers are inside." 

_"Got it. We're ready to move out."_

"Good." He turned to look out at the city skyline, visible beyond the forest. "Get here as soon as you can, but don't move in until I contact you. I'm going to try to get Wes and Jen out." And try to take care of Norman before any Guardians had to risk their lives. 

Steve's voice held just a touch of reluctance as he responded, _"Yes, sir."_

Eric hung up, morphed again, and climbed up the slope. In a few seconds he was standing in the mine entrance, seeing footprints. Several, going in and out. Two sets going in, one of them the only woman-sized prints, were fresher than the others. With a deep breath, he faced the darkness and stepped inside. 

* * *

TBC... 


	7. Enemies

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Enemies

* * *

"You have a visitor." Jen looked up from the floor of her prison cell, seeing a guard unlocking the door. He swung it open and stood waiting. 

"Who is it?" she asked. 

"Your boyfriend from the past. Now shut up and come on." 

"All right." 

Too tired and heartsick to protest, or even to feel much one way or the other, Jen stood up and slowly walked out. She had been here, locked up like an animal in a twenty-first century zoo for -- how long? She wasn't quite sure. The time seemed to blur in her mind. 

The cell she left was bare, gray, and ugly. Just like her life, now. Empty. Nothing in it that was really hers. She had spent her time there simply staring at the floor, or out through the bars of her window, wondering how the outside world could still go on, just like before, when everything had become so different. 

She supposed they had fed her, and taken her out for exercise, and work. Had she seen a lawyer? Couldn't remember, and it didn't really matter. There was no hope, not for her, not for someone who had done the things she had done. There was only a long gray tunnel, leading into nowhere… 

A sparkle of light caught her eye. She smiled, just a little, to herself. Her ring. Strange that a diamond, the gem so often referred to as 'ice', was the only thing that warmed her in this cold place. 

"Ironic, isn't it?" The voice startled her from her thoughts. Ransik grinned at her through the bars of the cell she was passing. Jen stared at him, stopping for a moment as he went on. "The virtuous Time Force officer, out to save the world from big, bad criminals like us. And as soon as it suited your personal preferences, you did exactly the same thing we tried to do. Change history." 

"I did it for love. Not for power." 

"Isn't that worse? At least I had a real purpose. A cause." 

"Come on." The guard's grip on her arm pulled her away. 

He led her into a small cubicle, as bare, cold, gray, and soulless as the rest of this place. She sat obediently at a small metal table, and waited. Some undetermined time later, the door opened again. A man's shadowy form appeared. 

"Hello, Jen," he said. "It's me, Wes." 

"Wes!" she gasped, coming to her feet, starting to run to him before she remembered. He no longer loved her. 

"Jen. Jen, honey, what have they done to you?" He came to her, taking her hands, smiling into her face, that same glowing smile she had longed to see again. 

"Wes… Oh, Wes…" She hugged him, feeling his arms go around her after a moment's hesitation. "I thought… The things you said, on the witness stand…" 

When she let go, he gently took her hands again. They both took their seats and leaned across the table. "Jen," he said. "I had to see you." 

"I'm glad you came." But reality was settling in again. "You'll have to leave soon, won't you? Go back to your own time. Can't damage history by letting you stay here." 

"Soon. I had to talk to you first." 

"Did you mean what you said? You don't love me anymore?" 

He looked puzzled for just a moment. "No, of course I didn't mean it. They made me say that." 

"Oh, Wes…" 

He leaned closer, looking intently into her face. "Jen, I want to help you." 

"Help me? How?" 

"I'll get you out of here. Take you back to 2001." 

She pulled back, frowning. "No, Wes, I can't. I can't betray Time Force again." 

"Then -- maybe we can stay here. Whatever you want. I'll do it." 

"You have to go back to your time. We can't interfere with history. Not again." 

"Jen, I'll find a way, somehow. But -- but you have to help. You have to tell me something first." 

"What?" 

"It's Eric. When I go back to 2001, I need to find him. He'll help us, he has a plan. But I don't know where he's gone." 

"Eric? What does he have to do with it? What plan?" 

"Never mind that now. I need to find Eric. He's gone off somewhere, with Gaby. Where are they?" He was leaning close again, his hands holding her upper arms, pulling her towards him, looking into her eyes intently. 

Jen shifted uncomfortably. "Wes, I don't know what you mean. Why would I know where they are?" 

"You know. I know you do." 

Jen felt her brows contract in puzzlement. "Eric -- Eric should be at home, or at Bio-Lab…" 

"No, he's gone. Think, Jen. Try to remember. He must have told you where they went." 

She smiled uncertainly. "I don't know… You're confusing me…" 

"_Where are they?_" He pulled her closer, face to face, his eyes so near, so bright… for an instant she saw a flash in them, of silver, and his face seemed to warp, and distort into someone else, as if she could see through it into another face. It sent a chilling stab of fear through her. 

"Wes -- your eyes…" she gasped. 

His lids dropped quickly, hiding that unnatural gleam. He smiled and loosened his grip. As he drew back from her, she noticed a smell, drifting through the room, a sweet flowery smell, rather pleasant, Wes's aftershave? But he didn't wear anything like that… Her mind whirled, blurred, then steadied, Wes becoming just her Wes again. 

He smiled gently and touched her cheek with his fingertips. "Never mind, sweetheart. Just trust me. I'll take care of everything. Don't even think about it." 

"All right." She got up when he did, followed him to the door, smiled goodbye, then passively followed the guard to her bare, gray, ugly cell, sat down, her mind as blank as the prison floor she went back to staring at. 

* * *

Steve paced outside the mine tunnel entrance. He stared into the dark as he passed it, turned, then stared again on the way back. A quick glance in the other direction showed his troops, standing and sitting around their cars, not talking, looking almost as tense as he felt. A smile didn't quite make it to his face. They were on edge, too. 

It was not knowing what was going on down there that was doing it. Too many times like these, the Guardians outside, while the Rangers faced the danger. All very reasonable, very sensible, of course, but… He stopped and looked down the tunnel. Standing around, waiting like this, it was alien to his nature. He wanted to go in. 

The buzz of his cell phone startled him, distracting his thoughts. Grabbing it up, he said a quick, "Miller here." 

_"Steve? It's Jimmy Duran. Any sign of Jen or Wes yet?"_

"No." Steve resumed his pacing as he spoke to the SHPD detective. "Eric located their morphers, at the old Hillside silver mine. He went in after them. We're waiting outside, as backup." 

_"Do you need help?"_

"We've got it covered. But thanks." 

_"The reason I called -- we found Mitchell and Daniels. Your guard and driver."_

Steve stopped. "Are they alive? What happened to them?" 

_"I'll tell you what we know so far."_

Steve listened, his mind working as Jimmy gave him the information. It was interesting. And important. Especially if Norman had used the same weapon on Wes and Jen as he had used on Mitchell and Daniels. Important enough to give him an excuse to go into the mine, warn Eric, help in the search. 

"Thanks. I'll be in touch," he said absently when Jimmy was finished. He hung up, and started back to his men, to give them orders to stay put and wait. Orders he hoped they would follow better than he was obeying his. Then he was walking into the tunnel, away from the light and warmth of the outside world, hoping he was prepared to face whatever unknown danger lay ahead. 

* * *

Wes slammed through the Bio-Lab doors, still furious, anger speeding him on his way to Eric's office. He almost ran down the hallway, stumbled, stopped, wondering why the floor had suddenly seemed uneven. The corridor stretched away from him in both directions, empty, silent, and featureless, the lights dimmer than he remembered. 

He blinked, frightened, his surroundings suddenly unfamiliar, wondering if he had somehow wandered into some part of the building where he had never been before. For just a moment, the walls, ceiling, and floors seemed to become insubstantial, wavering out of reality, something else showing behind them, a dark tunnel through rock, a widely-spaced line of bare light bulbs along the ceiling. 

Then as he pressed his hands to his eyes and looked again, it was gone, he was in Bio-Lab, in the hallway leading to Eric's office, exactly where he should be. Shaken, he continued on his way more slowly, and in a moment was raising his hand to knock on the door. 

"Come in." 

He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. Anger began to resurface as Eric looked up from his desk, gave him a cold and measuring stare, and then deliberately returned to his paperwork, ignoring him. 

"Eric. We need to talk." 

"Again? I thought I made myself clear." 

"And now I'm going to make _myself_ clear." Wes stepped closer and leaned on the desk. Eric looked up at him, an undercurrent of hostility behind his bland expression. "I want you to stay away from Jen." 

"Why on earth should I do that?" 

"Because she doesn't mean anything to you!" 

"So what? That's up to me and her, isn't it?" 

"She thinks you really care about her." 

Eric shrugged and grinned. "Did she say that?" 

"She said…" Wes hesitated. What _had_ Jen said? He couldn't quite remember now. "It doesn't matter! Just leave her alone!" 

"Why are you wasting your time worrying about that tramp, anyway?" 

Wes felt his fists clench, his face flush with rage. He controlled himself with an effort. "I'm warning you. Stay away from her!" 

Eric rose to his feet and leaned forward, his face coming uncomfortably close to Wes's over the desk. "Who's going to make me? _You?_" He grinned again. "You don't have the guts to stand up to me. Or the ability." 

"Just try me." 

They glared at each other for a few tense moments. Then Eric straightened and stepped around the desk. He stopped to face Wes, again coming too close for comfort. "I'd love to settle this once and for all, but I have more important things to do." He moved forward, bumping Wes roughly with his shoulder, and started out. 

"Where are you going?" 

In the doorway, Eric turned, raising a brow. "I have a date. Or whatever you want to call it. With Jen." He flashed a last sardonic smile. "I'll give it to her once for you. It's as close to screwing her as _you're_ going to get." 

"Son of a bitch!" Blinded by fury, Wes stood frozen as the door swung shut, then leaped forward, banging out of the office, stopping as he looked up and down the hallway. Eric was already out of sight, but Wes could hear his footsteps. With a growl, he ran in pursuit. 

His own breathing and running steps were all he could hear now, the corridors so empty, echoing with a hollow sound. Wes stopped, feeling that strange sense of unreality again, as the world seemed to waver around him. The sound of someone else's footsteps reached him in the silence. Eric. He ran, turned a corner, and saw him, for some reason morphed, standing there in his Ranger suit, staring. 

"Eric!" he shouted. 

"Wes?" Eric's voice sounded surprised, his face invisible in the helmet. "Wes, are you all right?" 

"I'm fine." Wes started for him, adding venomously, "But _you_ won't be, when I'm done with you." 

* * *

Silver and Purple were waiting for him in his small control room, a space the miners had used as a rest area. He had converted it for his own purposes, putting in a computer system, rigging up a set of alarms and video camera systems, so he would know if visitors came calling. As one was now. 

They stood side by side. Norman found a moment to admire their appearance again, the perfection of their manufacture, identical to himself, but in gleaming metal. Their faces were as blank as usual. Annoying, and more than annoying, since he had built them, programmed them, to feel human emotions. To feel _his_ emotions. To feel everything he felt, to be reflections of him. He had thought it would guarantee that they would understand, that they would always do exactly as he wanted. But somehow it hadn't worked that way. 

None of this had worked the way it was supposed to. Not a total failure, his drug had done what he expected it to. He hadn't been sure the sweet-smelling gas would affect Wes and Jen through their Ranger suits, but it had. It had distorted their minds, warped their thoughts and personalities, as it had done to the Bio-Lab guard and driver before them, plunging them into a fantasy world of their own imagination. Or rather a nightmare. One composed of their fears, their insecurities, their most hidden guilt, paranoia, and resentments. They had collapsed, powerless and vulnerable, his prisoners, while imagining themselves… somewhere else. 

But then it had started to go wrong. He had thought Wes was completely helpless, drugged out of his mind. In that condition, Norman knew, he was very suggestible; especially while his dream world was still taking shape. With a few minutes of listening to his mumblings, Norman had figured out how to enter Wes's fantasy, by pretending to be Alan Collins, what to say to get what he wanted. 

And he wanted to know where Eric and Gaby were. He had said things, suggested things, to turn Wes against his friend and partner, to fill him with some of the envy and jealousy Norman himself felt; but in his hatred of Eric he had said too much, pushed too hard. The Ranger had reacted violently, had taken him by surprise, jumping up -- still morphed -- still lost in his dream world, and running away into the tunnels of the old mine. Silver and Purple had been too slow to catch him. 

Now, he was still out there, somewhere, either curled up in some dark corner or wandering, unaware of his true surroundings. Presumably he had demorphed hours ago, like Jen, when his morpher ran low on power. Norman frowned. He had given Jen more of the drug, but Wes -- it would be starting to wear off by now. He would be beginning to drift back to the real world, bewildered, still caught up in whatever drama was playing in his head. 

But Jen was still here, safely locked in one of the rooms the miners had used as a rest area. He had been more careful with her, had only listened to her talking to herself at first, then insinuated himself into her fantasy as Wes. Unfortunately, he had still been unable to get the information he wanted, she was too confused, too lost in another time and place to remember. But there was time. 

He frowned again. She was so pretty, so helpless, so completely in his power, so unhappy in her nightmare. When he had drugged her again, she had grown weaker, more confused, her mind more disorganized. If he kept it up, she might never recover. Something long unused stirred inside him, something vaguely like compassion, or conscience. He sent a quick glance at Silver and Purple. They felt it too; the last time he had gone in that room, he had found her lying on a bed of blankets, covered against the cold. Again that hidden part of him felt a twinge of guilt, that he had not thought of her comfort himself. 

But there was more important business to take care of now. Norman moved quickly to the camera display. Even with the dim lighting of the main mine tunnel, it was an image he recognized at once. "The Quantum Ranger. Eric," he snarled, pounding a fist on the console. "He's here!" He swung around to face Silver and Purple. "He's found me somehow, or found his friends. I want you to kill him. And do it right this time." 

They glanced at each other. It was annoying, the way they seemed to share some kind of relationship that he was left out of. He glared at them. "Any questions?" he demanded. "Any problems?" 

To his surprise, Purple spoke up. "What are you going to do with Jen, Master?" 

His eyes narrowed in annoyance. "She's still useful to me. I still need to know where Gaby is." He smiled coldly. "With Eric dead, I'll find her, sooner or later. She's mine. And maybe I'll keep Jen, too." He watched them, seeing something in those metal faces that he didn't like. "Is there a problem with that?" 

"No, Master." 

"Then -- what are you waiting for?" 

This time it was Silver who spoke. "Are you sure? Killing is -- permanent." 

"Of course it's permanent! That's the whole point! I want Eric out of my way, forever! Now go and do it!" 

Wordlessly, they turned as one and started out. He watched them, stiffening as they both glanced back at him before disappearing into the tunnel leading to the outside. Again he thought there had been something in their faces, something almost disapproving. He thought about it for a moment, and then dismissed it. They couldn't turn against him, after all. He had made sure of that when he created them. 

* * *

Eric walked slowly, more slowly than he liked, listening with his Ranger-enhanced hearing. It was caution that held him back, he was up against a very dangerous enemy, one who had apparently been able to defeat Wes and Jen. If possible, he needed to take Norman and his robots by surprise. But something in his gut kept telling him to hurry, there was no time… 

A sound. Running footsteps. Eric froze, and flattened against a wall. The sound stopped. After waiting for a few seconds, he began to wonder if he had only heard his own steps. The echoes in these old tunnels could be tricky. He started to walk again. 

There it was -- unmistakable this time, as he passed through a spot where several tunnels converged into a sort of intersection. He stopped and fell into a defensive position as someone ran from one of the side tunnels only a couple of yards ahead of him. The person stopped abruptly. Eric straightened; feeling relief, surprise, then a chill of alarm at the way the other man was staring at him. 

"Eric!" The voice was tight with anger. 

"Wes?" he said uncertainly. "Wes, are you all right?" 

"I'm fine." Wes's face was filled with rage. He started forward, fists clenched. "But _you_ won't be, when I'm done with you." 

* * *

TBC... 


	8. Destruction

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Destruction

* * *

"Bastard!" Wes ran to the attack, knowing he was no match for Eric when he was morphed, and not particularly caring. He threw a punch, then a side-kick when it was blocked. The kick landed harmlessly. Wes backed off, furious, but realizing he was getting nowhere. 

"Coward! Demorph and fight me, man to man!" 

"Wes, what the hell is wrong with you?" He hardly even noticed that Eric's voice was more concerned than angry. 

"I'm finally standing up to you! I'm not going to let you take anything more away from me! Especially not Jen!" 

"What are you talking about? And where the hell _is_ Jen, anyway?" 

"Don't you even say her name!" 

"Wes…" 

Eric retreated as Wes charged forward again, swinging at his head. He blocked the blows, strangely enough not hitting back. When he came up against the corridor wall he twisted away, dodging, and backed off again. 

"Demorph, damn you! Fight me!" 

"Wes, stop it… We haven't got time for this…" 

"You're a coward!" He stooped to pick up a rock, not even wondering how it had gotten there, in a Bio-Lab hallway, and threw it at Eric, seeing him flinch slightly as it bounced off his shoulder. "I'm never letting you get near her again!" 

"Calm down! Stop shouting, they'll hear us!" 

"I don't care who hears!" He bent to grab another rock and heaved it at Eric. 

"Wes, whatever's happened to you, you've got to snap out of it! We have to find Jen!" 

Wes stalked toward him, rigid with fury. "I told you to stay away from her," he snarled. "You're not good enough to even look at her!" 

"Stop it, Wes, you don't know what you're saying..." 

"I _know_. For the first time, I know exactly what I'm saying." Wes smiled savagely. "You're a real piece of shit, you know that?" His anger was becoming something alive, taking him over, almost speaking for itself, pouring out of some repressed, resentful part of him with a sensation almost of relief. "You've done nothing but use me, and my father, and Jen, ever since you got to Silver Hills. You don't care about anything but yourself, you never have, you never will!" 

He pointed. "You stole that morpher! No one wanted you to be a Ranger! All of us knew we couldn't trust you!" Eric stiffened slightly and took a step back. "And at Bio-Lab... You don't deserve to be in the same room with me or my father! You really think he'd ever let you take over? A nobody like you, with no class and no education, an asshole no one can stand to work with?" 

"Wes, please…" Eric's voice was strange, no trace of the arrogance or cruelty of only minutes ago, nothing but shock and pain in it now. 

"And Jen -- just the thought of you touching her with your filthy hands -- you're nothing but trash, your mother was a whore, your father was a cheap crook, and you -- you're sewer scum, and you always will be, just like them!" 

"Shut up!" Eric raised a fist, his body tensing. He moved forward, a little, but then he stopped, his arm dropping again. 

"Shut up? Make me." Wes stepped up to him, face to face, smiling bitterly. 

Eric pushed him back. "Get out of my way. I'm going to find Jen." 

"No! You'll never touch her again!" As Eric started away, Wes raised his arm, not knowing or caring how his morpher had gotten back on his left wrist. He pressed the button, feeling the sudden surge of power and energy as a sparkle of light washed over him, power to fight, power to stop his enemy… 

"Don't even try to walk away," he said, with enough menace to make Eric stop and turn around. He summoned his blaster and aimed it. 

"Wes, what are you doing?" Eric's voice was level, but there was an undercurrent of alarm in it. 

"What I should have done a long time ago. Getting rid of you, for good." 

"Wes…" Eric hesitated, then reached out a hand. "Something's done this to you. Made you act this way. Please, try to fight it." 

"The only thing I want to fight is you!" 

"You want to fight? Fine!" He was shouting now, as loudly as Wes. Then he took a breath and continued softly. "But if we're fighting, who's going to help Jen? If you really care about her, you'll stop this." He was moving closer, reaching out toward Wes, ignoring the blaster. 

Wes blinked, hard, as the world reeled around him again, blurring into a dizzying double image, then snapped back into focus, the dim Bio-Lab hallway even darker and stranger than before. 

"Think about it, Wes. We have to work together, to help Jen." Eric eased forward another step, his hand outstretched. Reaching -- and then moving, lightning fast, grabbing for the blaster. 

Wes yanked it away, just fast enough, and fired instinctively. The shot hit, driving Eric away. He stumbled and fell, landing on his back. Wes aimed more carefully and fired again, but the Quantum Defender was in Eric's hand, and he was firing back. A jolt of electrifying pain struck Wes, sending him staggering against the wall, his head spinning, that double reality returning for a disorienting second. He brought up his weapon, aiming, Eric's blaster staring straight back at him. The world seemed to freeze for a moment, both of them motionless. 

A flare, catching them both by surprise, another bolt of pain, then the shocking sensation as he demorphed, collapsing onto his hands and knees and slowly sinking to the ground, just enough strength to turn his head and find the source of that shot. Eric had turned too, the Defender braced in both hands, as he staggered to his feet and moved to shield Wes from the two forms barely visible in the dim hallway, the hallway that was again warping into something else, tunnels, rock walls, a string of light bulbs overhead. Changing, and this time not changing back. 

* * *

Steve heard it, echoing down the tunnel. Voices, shouting. Angry. He drew his Guardian blaster and began to run, moving as quietly as he could, urgency spurring him on as he got close enough to recognize the voices. Before he could reach them another sound send a chill through him. The distinctive sizzle of blaster beams. 

His training took over, flattening him against the wall. He crept forward, easing up to the corner around which he sensed they were, then dropped to one knee, twisting to peer out. What he saw stopped his breath for a moment. 

Wes and Eric were there, morphed, Eric on the tunnel floor, Wes leaning against a wall, both with blasters aimed at each other, so still they might have been statues, except for the heaving of their chests. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity. Then it ended abruptly. 

There was the flash and snap of another blaster shot, coming from a different side tunnel. It struck Wes, igniting another flare as his suit sparked and warped, leaving him demorphed and collapsing. Eric got up and ran to cover him from their attackers. Steve ran forward far enough to see them standing where the tunnels intersected, two of them, two humanoid creatures with metallic surfaces that gleamed silver and purple even in the dim lights. 

Norman's new robots. Eric was weakened, Wes was helpless. Steve started forward again. "Hold it!" he shouted, seeing all four heads turn to look at him. "Drop your weapon! Back off!" 

With relief he saw that only one of the robots was holding a blaster. They actually had a chance, as long as Eric was able to fight. On the other hand, he had seen how tough these robots were, back at Eric's house, against two armed Rangers… 

The silver and purple robots stood unmoving. Steve tensed as their heads turned; they glanced at each other, seeming to communicate silently. A flicker of motion, a glimmer of reflected light, and they were gone, melting into the shadows of that dark tunnel. 

"Steve… see if Wes is okay." Eric passed him and started after them. 

"Yes, sir." Steve crossed the space between himself and Wes and knelt next to him, seeing his normally handsome and smiling face drawn with pain and stress. "Are you all right, sir?" he asked. 

Wes struggled onto one elbow, Steve helping him to sit up. "I don't know... I think so," he mumbled, rubbing his face. "What -- what's going on… where am I?" 

"In the mine tunnels. Don't you remember?" 

"Tunnels... Is this the silver mine?" 

"Yes. Of course." 

"I was in Bio-Lab… I'm all confused…" 

"No sign of them. But they may be back." Eric had returned, standing over them. "How is he?" 

"Eric, what happened?" Wes asked. 

Eric took a moment to answer. "I don't know," he said. "_You_ tell _me_." 

"I might be able to explain some of it," Steve said. They both looked at him, silently questioning. "I got a call just before I came down here, from Jimmy. Mitchell and Daniels showed up. They were wandering in the woods, hiding, all this time. Just walked up to the searchers a few hours ago and asked for help." 

"Mitchell and Daniels," Wes said, his voice a little stronger. "I remember. Are they okay?" 

"Yeah, they seem to be fine, now." 

"What happened to them?" 

"Well, that's the interesting part. Norman and his robots stopped their truck. Norman had some kind of gas gun, they think. They remember it smelled sweet, like flowers." 

"Flowers." Wes's mouth tightened. "Go on," he said after a moment. 

"Then, they suddenly thought they were somewhere else. In another world, sort of, with their memories changed, like that was the way things were supposed to be. They both had detailed fantasies, Mitchell thought he was a prisoner of war -- he was in the Marines a few years ago -- Daniels thought he had lost his job and his family and was living on the street. They're at the hospital, being checked out, but it's obvious they were drugged." 

"Some kind of hallucinogen. Made me see things… think things… I think it was wearing off... Getting shot and demorphed must have shocked me out of it." Wes moved, struggling to his feet. Eric stepped back as Steve helped him up. "Eric, did I really say…" 

"Yeah." The word was curt and cool. 

"I'm sorry. You were right, I didn't know what I was saying." 

"We have more important things to worry about. Like finding Jen." 

"Jen… Oh, my God, they did the same thing to her! She's trapped in some fantasy too, probably just as bad as mine. We've got to help her!" 

Eric looked around them. "I can find her morpher with mine. You two stay here." 

"Hell, no. I'm coming with you." 

"So am I," Steve added. "And don't bother to order me back to the surface." 

"Okay." There was just a hint of warmth in Eric's voice. "Let's go." 

* * *

She could hear them, faintly, voices coming from outside her cell. Voices, one of them familiar -- but not -- Wes, or was it? She lay there, listening, trying to clear her mind. So hard to think, so hard to tell what was real, when everything seemed insubstantial, fading in and out. The jail, the other prisoners... that wasn't right. Or was it? 

The trial, her teammates. They seemed like a dream one moment, like solid reality the next. She groped for something to hang on to. The voices spoke on, the tones, the words troubling her, something inside telling her this was wrong, all wrong. She moaned softly, a sleeper struggling to wake up, not quite sure she was dreaming. 

The voices claimed her attention, helping her concentrate. The one that was almost Wes's, angry and intense. _"What the hell happened? Why didn't you kill him, like I told you to?" _

"Wes was with him, Master. He recovered from the drug." 

"And the Silver Guardians were there, too. Logically, we would have been defeated." 

"Defeated. I suppose you would have been. Useless!" 

"They're coming, Master. We can't stop them." 

"We don't have enough of the drug left to use on all of them... And Wes will have warned the others." There was a brief silence. _"We have to get out of here. Damn! All this work, and we have to leave it behind!" _

"We have the other location, Master." 

"Yes, they don't know about that. We'll destroy this place, hope the Rangers go with it. And there's Jen..." Another pause._ "Just keep your mouths shut, and follow my lead."_

Jen blinked as shapes moved to her cell door. She pushed herself up, sitting, her head briefly spinning before settling down. A man stepped up to the bars, smiling at her. 

"Jen, sweetheart, it's Wes. I'm here to save you. We're getting out, escaping." He glanced behind him. "Trip and Katie are with me. They want to help." 

She gasped as Trip and Katie stepped into view, their faces blank. They stood and stared at her impassively. She got to her feet, suddenly afraid, suddenly sure all of this was a mistake in some way she couldn't identify. Confused, she focused on what she knew was wrong. "No!" she exclaimed. "Trip, Katie, you can't do this! You're Time Force officers -- you'll be disgraced, criminals, like me..." 

"They don't care," Wes said, his voice hard. 

"But _I_ care! I can't let you do this!" 

"It's done, Jen. Come on." He pulled the door open, the lock somehow not working. Stepping inside, he grabbed her wrist. 

"Wes, no, I mean it, I don't want to escape!" 

"You have no choice." 

"But..." She resisted, fighting to keep her thoughts together, her mind functioning, to figure out what she was supposed to do. "Where can we go? I can't go back to 2001. You can't stay here..." 

"Don't worry about it." 

"Wes... Wes, stop, I don't understand..." 

His face took on an unfamiliarly cunning expression. "If they catch me, they'll kill me. Either come along, or watch me die." 

"No... They wouldn't..." 

"They will. Come on!" 

She followed, letting him drag her along, her mind spinning again, sure she was somehow in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, but too afraid, too uncertain, to protest. They ran, down corridors that quickly became strange, twisting and turning in ways she didn't remember, adding to her confusion. Shouts sounded behind them. Voices she knew. 

"Wes -- who is that?" 

He turned to glare at her, his anger making her pull back in alarm. "It's Alex and Eric. They're after us. If they catch us, we're dead. Now run!" 

"All right..." She followed, dashing over increasingly strange ground, desperate to get away, to have this nightmare over. Endless corridors, dark, the floor inexplicably uneven, no longer in the Time Force prison somehow, running through dim hallways, only thinking about escape... 

They fled into a larger space, a room, strange-looking equipment on benches around the walls. Wes, Katie, and Trip stopped. "Hold them off!" Wes shouted. Trip and Katie ran back to the doorway. Wes grabbed Jen's hand and pulled her toward the far wall, lined with machinery, cables snaking over it like ivy. 

An exchange of blaster fire made her look back at the doorway. Trip and Katie were on either side of it, firing out at an unseen enemy. The fire intensified, they fell back, and a form leaped through. The Quantum Ranger. Eric. Without any conscious decision, she took a step towards him, something inside looking to him for help. 

"Jen!" he called. 

Someone else ran in, dodging blaster beams. She blinked. "Wes?" she cried. 

Wes, the one beside her, pulled her back. "That's Alex! Alex!" he hissed. 

She stopped. It had looked like... but it was Alex, not Wes. The uniform was Time Force, not Silver Guardians. Or was it? He looked at her across the room, the expression on his face, of pain and desperation, somehow tearing at her heart. "Jen! Jen!" he shouted, as Wes caught her arm again. Another person appeared in the doorway, Jen recognizing him with vague surprise as Steve Miller. 

Trip and Katie were falling back, getting closer, firing at Eric and Alex, missing most of their shots somehow, not like them at all, but everything going on was wrong, wrong... Eric glanced behind him, cursed, and turned back to shove Alex and Steve out of the room, shielding them from the blaster fire. Alex cried out again, calling Jen's name in Wes's voice. 

"Come on! Come on!" Wes shouted, his voice strange, his face warping, Wes-but-not-Wes, something strange about Katie and Trip too, the way their skin gleamed in the light, like metal. There was too much confusion to think; it was happening so fast, so fast she couldn't quite follow, everything starting to fall apart, everything changing as she gasped in terror... 

Suddenly it was Norman pulling her along, Silver and Purple coming after them and firing back at Eric and Wes. She screamed, tried to pull away, but he was too strong. They ran past another cluster of machinery, Norman reaching to throw a switch. There was a low hum, building in volume. 

Silver turned towards Eric and Wes, shouting, "Get back! This place is going to blow up!" He and Purple retreated as they fired a volley that held the Rangers on the other side of the doorway. Then they both ran, covering the rest of the distance across the large room toward Jen and Norman. Eric started in after them. Wes ran in, still demorphed, heading for them at full speed. Eric caught him, held him back. Norman yanked at her arm, pulling her towards the wall covered with machines, Silver and Purple right behind them, running as if their lives depended on it. 

And then -- then a roar, deafening, a cloud of smoke rolling over them, rocks starting to shower down. She saw Eric duck, and dive for the doorway, taking Wes with him. She screamed again. A chunk of stone dropped directly at her. Hands grabbed her, pulling her out of the way. She fell, arms wrapped around her head, another explosion, the floor shaking, breaking apart. Pain, a whirlwind of motion, a violent impact. And then nothing. 

* * *

TBC... 


	9. Shattered

Wes, Jen, Eric, Miller (sort of), and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.  
Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine. 

Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references. 

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one. 

The end, or is it? My thanks to Cecelia and Jenny for beta reading, and to all you reviewers for valuable comments and encouragement. I appreciate it. Hope everyone enjoyed. 

Unreal Life

* * *

* * *

Shattered

* * *

Eric fiddled with his napkin, picked up his water glass, put it down, looked at the menu again, then clasped his hands on the table and sighed. Checking the time wouldn't help. She wasn't late yet. Even if she was, it could be traffic, could be car trouble, could be anything. 

A bell over the door chimed softly. His head jerked up, and there she was, glancing around, spotting him and starting for him with a smile. He got up, and to his own surprise and embarrassment hugged her, just holding her tightly for several moments longer than strictly necessary. 

"Wow, what a greeting," Gaby murmured as she slid into the booth across the table from him. "It's only been three days." 

"Three days." Eric rubbed his eyes. "Yeah. Seems a lot longer." 

She leaned forward, concern on her face. "What happened? You didn't say much on the phone, when you said I should come home." 

"No." He looked at her, seeing the traces of worry and fatigue. Probably nothing compared to his own face. "How was your drive? Did you find a decent place to stay?" 

"My drive was fine. And the hotel was okay." She sighed. "But I'm glad to be back. I'm not cut out to be a fugitive." With a penetrating glance at him she went on, "Something bad happened, didn't it? I didn't hear anything on the news. Are you going to tell me?" 

"It hasn't hit the news yet. Not the details." He was silent, trying to organize his thoughts, wondering how to get through this. Then he just started, letting it come out. "When I got back, I found Wes and Jen. Located their morphers..." 

Quickly, he told her the story, finding it an unexpected relief to talk about it. Going into that cave, the dark, the silence, until Wes had appeared. Steve joining them, the search through the old tunnels. Seeing Jen with Norman, Silver, and Purple, the chase after them, Jen still apparently trapped in another reality. But then, at the very end, she had seemed to come out of it, to realize where she was and who she was really with. The look of terror on her face, as Norman dragged her away, he could still see it... 

Then the explosion, how he, Wes, and Steve had barely escaped with their lives. Afterwards, Wes calling for Jen, crying, his hands bleeding as he tried frantically to dig through the rubble, how he had cursed the two of them when they finally dragged him away. Nothing like the things he had said before, of course... But there was no need to tell her about _that_ part, that he had found out how Wes really felt about him, and how much it still hurt. 

They hardly noticed the interruptions as they ordered dinner, were served, and largely ignored their food. Gaby was quiet for a few seconds, watching him, after he stopped talking. "Are you telling me... Is -- is Jen..." she asked at last, her hand reaching out to his. 

"The room they were in was destroyed almost completely. Part of the ceiling collapsed, part of the floor did too, fell into another tunnel. No one could have lived through that." He pressed a hand to his chin, looking away from her face, blinking back his own reaction. "We're still clearing the place out. It's slow work, have to avoid any more collapses... Found a lot of damaged machinery. Still working on clearing the area where they were standing when it happened. No sign so far. No remains. Nothing human, no robots either." 

"But... does that mean they could have escaped?" 

"Probably just means their bodies fell through the floor. It's a mess, collapsed walls, tunnels... They must be buried somewhere where we haven't looked yet." 

"Isn't there any way they could have survived?" 

"Doesn't look like it," he said with a sigh. "There doesn't seem to be any way they could have gotten out. No secret door, no escape tunnel. We looked." 

"You mean Jen's dead?" She looked pale and shocked, her lips starting to tremble, controlling herself with an obvious effort. 

"I... We have to face it. It looks that way. Norman too." He looked up at her face. 

"I wouldn't be sorry if he's gone... but Jen..." 

"Yeah. I feel the same way." He tightened his grip on her fingers, watching her start to cry. "But until we're absolutely sure, I think we have to assume you're still in danger." He paused for a moment, taking a breath. "If you want to stay out of town..." 

"Hell, no. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm staying. Especially now." 

He smiled a little at the determined expression that showed through her tears and took her hand in both of his. "We should keep on taking precautions. Keep you under guard. Sorry." 

She nodded, sniffled, wiped her eyes, and went on after a moment. "How's Wes taking it?" 

Eric looked down at his plate, feeling that twinge of pain he was starting to get used to. "Not well. About what you'd expect." 

* * *

So many memories, here. The flower garden, sitting on his familiar stone bench. At first the smell of flowers had reminded him of the wrong things, but now that didn't matter, it had faded into the dull gray that had taken over his heart, only his memories of the past seeming real and alive. It was here that Trip had come to talk to him, to explain why Jen had acted the way she did when they first met. Here that he and Jen had first said they loved each other. Here that he had proposed. Sometimes, when he closed his eyes and let himself drift into a half-waking state, just for a moment he could almost hear her voice on the breeze, feel her presence in some subliminal way. 

He had slept in a different bedroom since it happened, unable to bear the ghosts contained in his own room. Their room. Even being out here was hard. But everywhere was hard. Everywhere either reminded him of her, or felt empty without her. But it wasn't so bad, now. The pain had faded into numbness. But he knew it would get worse again, when he'd had time to accept it, when the reality sank in. 

"Wes." 

It took a few seconds for the voice to penetrate his awareness. He lifted his eyes to see an unexpected face. Eric, come to visit him, even after what he had done. Wes felt a vague and distant gratitude as he smiled and indicated the bench next to him. Eric sat wordlessly, only speaking after a few uncomfortable minutes. 

"You okay?" he asked. 

"Sure. I'll live." 

"I'm sorry." When Wes glanced at him, his face was bent over his hands. "I tried. Couldn't save her." 

"Not your fault. And you saved my life." 

"I found this today. Thought you should have it." Not looking at Wes's face, he held out an object. 

It was oval, a few inches long, set on a wrist strap. Pink... "Jen's morpher," Wes said. "Where did you find it?" 

"In another laboratory room, next to the one... the one that blew up. Norman must have taken it off her. Probably to study it." 

"Thanks." Wes stared down at it dully. There was silence. He remembered there was something he should ask, something he should care about, if only for politeness. "What happened on your trip? Did you find out who your real father is?" 

"Yeah. I found out." 

"Who is he? What's he like?" 

"Just a guy." 

A pause. "Is Gaby back?" 

"Yeah. Got here last night." 

More silence, until Wes finally said what was on his mind. "I'm sorry. About the things I said. Really sorry." 

"I know. Forget it." A quick glance at Wes, his face unrevealing, then Eric stood up. "Well, I'd better get back to work. Just wanted to see how you're doing, and give you the morpher." He turned away. 

"Eric..." Wes watched him stop, listen, only his profile visible. "Are we okay?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean... we're still friends, aren't we? Still... still brothers, almost?" 

Eric's dark eyes met his briefly, their depths carefully hidden, his face an unreadable mask. "Sure, Wes, we're okay," he said, too quickly and easily, a smile lifting his mouth but not reaching his eyes, disappearing too soon, his voice not quite hiding an echo of regret. "See ya." And turned, and walked away. 

He didn't know how long it was after that. Hours, perhaps. Hours he spent just sitting there, among the flowers, staring towards the ocean. Hard to judge the time. Too hard to think, when nothing made sense anymore. Too painful to think. Jen, gone. And Eric gone too, in a different way. What was left? 

"Wes?" 

He looked up again, seeing his father standing over him, vaguely surprised that he hadn't heard footsteps. "Hi, Dad." 

Collins sat on the bench beside him. "How are you feeling?" 

Wes shrugged, saying nothing. The two of them were quiet in the evening light, the breeze whispering the leaves around them. 

"Maybe I shouldn't tell you this." 

"What, Dad?" 

"I had a talk with Rick today." 

Rick. Rick Quinn, one of the junior Bio-Lab scientists, the one who had analyzed the timehole generator in Jen's ship and managed to build one of his own, accidentally sending them on their last adventure a couple of months ago. Norman had stolen it, studied it, before it had been destroyed. 

"Yeah?" Wes asked. "What did he say?" 

"I had him examine the wreckage of the machinery we found in the mine. Wanted to find out if Norman had really tried to build another time machine, like he threatened." A smile crossed his face briefly. "Also wanted to know if he came up with anything we could use at Bio-Lab... Anyway..." He hesitated. "Rick said he recognized some of the stuff. Norman was definitely working on something similar to a time machine. A modified design, Rick says he can't tell if it would work differently, or work at all. Not enough left of it." 

"And? Is that it?" 

Collins sighed. "Wes, the time machinery was standing in the same spot where you and Eric said Jen and Norman were the last time you saw them. Combined with the fact that we still haven't found any trace of them..." 

"You think they used it to escape." Wes's voice was flat. 

"I don't think Norman's the type to commit suicide. Yes, I think it's a strong possibility." He gave Wes a close look. "You don't seem very impressed." 

"I don't..." Wes bit his lip, staring down at his clenched hands. "I guess I'm afraid to hope," he said softly. "Afraid I'm just imagining things. Again." 

"Son..." Wes felt a hand drop on his shoulder and squeeze it before his father stood up. "I understand. But don't lose all your hope. Sometimes it's all we have." 

Footsteps trailed away, leaving Wes alone again. But not alone. He let go, finally, closing his eyes as tears leaked out. Not alone, after all. Hope was with him. 

* * *

__

Voices, and light. They broke through the darkness, awakening her. At first she was empty, no thought, no memory, no identity; just a dull curiosity slowly starting to stir inside her mind. So much confusion, so many questions... She asked the one that drifted to the surface first. 

"Who am I?" 

A voice answered, giving her a name. It didn't seem right, just for a moment. But she took it, let it sink into her mind, and made it hers. 

"Violet. My name is Violet." 

  


* End *

_**To be continued in 'Violet'....**_

* * *


End file.
